QMUNITY's annual IDAHOBIT Breakfast 2026: Voices From the Field
- 21 hours ago
- 3 min read
Every May 17th, communities across British Columbia pause to mark the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia. For many in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, it’s more than a date on the calendar. QMUNITY’s annual IDAHOBIT Breakfast has become one of the province’s most important gatherings.
Part fundraiser, part community meeting point, the breakfast brings together members, allies, and leaders from across sectors. It’s a room where progress is acknowledged, and the harder truths aren’t glossed over either. As Karan, QMUNITY’s Finance and Development Manager, puts it: “IDAHOBIT is a day that serves as a call for collective action, for both community members and allies to raise awareness and visibility for 2SLGBTQIA+ issues.”
Now in its 18th year, the event has evolved far beyond its early days. What began as a largely symbolic gathering has become a place where real conversations happen and can lead to meaningful outcomes. “What started as a more symbolic gathering has grown into a space for real dialogue and influence,” Karan says. “The room today includes not just community members, but policymakers, funders, and institutional leaders.”
This year’s theme, “Voices From the Field,” reflects a growing urgency within the community. Many of the gains made over the past decades are being challenged, while broader economic and social pressures continue to hit marginalized communities the hardest. Karan notes that “the stresses of the macrofactors affecting the economy and society at large are felt more acutely by marginalized members of our community,” particularly alongside “rising political attacks we are witnessing via anti-trans rhetoric and legislation.”
This year’s theme centres on the people who interact most with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and its needs. “The people who understand this best are our staff who are closest to the work,” Karan explains, pointing to those delivering services, advocating on the ground, and supporting community members through complex systems. Too often, those perspectives are missing from decision-making spaces. This year’s breakfast aims to change that by creating room for those voices to be heard directly.
At this year’s event, attendees will hear from frontline service providers across QMUNITY’s programs, including youth and seniors services, mental health supports, and legal advocacy. They will also hear from community members themselves. “These are stories of the direct impact that QMUNITY is making,” Karan says, “along with insight into what’s working, what isn’t, and what needs to change.”
The challenges being discussed are both urgent and ongoing. Access to low-barrier care is still difficult for many. Housing and employment insecurity continue to affect many, particularly trans and racialized community members. At the same time, demand for QMUNITY’s services is growing faster than available resources. “Even as we expand and adapt our services, the waitlists continue to grow,” Karan notes.
QMUNITY’s IDAHOBIT breakfast moves these issues forward in tangible ways. One of its greatest strengths is who is in the room. “When you bring together community leaders, service providers, funders, and policymakers, you create the conditions for alignment and action,” Karan says. “That mix matters because collective action requires collective understanding,” Karan explains.
QMUNITY’s goal is that the event leaves a lasting impression and promotes meaningful change. “I hope people leave with a clearer understanding of the realities facing the 2SLGBTQIA+ community today from the perspective of QMUNITY’s work and impact on the ground,” Karan says. The event also creates space for networking among those working toward similar goals, strengthening relationships across the sector.
The IDAHOBIT Breakfast stands out because it offers more than awareness. It is a space to listen, to learn, and to contribute to real change. As Karan puts it, “it’s one of the few spaces where you can hear directly from the people doing the work and those most impacted, while also directly helping marginalized members of our community access low-barrier support.”
For the attendees who are committed to building a more inclusive and equitable British Columbia, it is an opportunity not just to witness these conversations but to be part of what comes next. QMUNITY invites you into this space to build connections, hear our stories, and become involved in tangible impact in the province's 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
