Toronto and Vancouver area leaders recognized among national winners of the 2025 January Award
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 25, 2026
Toronto and Vancouver area leaders recognized among national winners of the 2025 January Award
Surrey, BC - Sher Pride is proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 January Award, a national recognition honouring exceptional 2SLGBTQ+ leaders, advocates, and artists whose work is creating meaningful social change. Established in 2015, the January Award commemorates the life and legacy of the late January Marie Lapuz, who tragically lost her life in September 2012. January was the beloved social coordinator of Sher Pride and the heart of the organization. She was the social glue and mother of the community, a gifted singer and dancer who brought life and joy to countless events, and the first transgender person elected to the Executive of Sher Pride.
This year’s awards drew an inspiring and competitive pool of 36 applicants from across Canada and Bangladesh, reflecting the growing national and international reach of Sher Pride’s work. Winners were selected based on leadership, impact, community service, and commitment to advancing equity, justice, and inclusion within 2SLGBTQ+ communities. Top honours were awarded to leaders from the Greater Toronto Area and Metro Vancouver, alongside emerging youth leaders whose work signals a powerful future for queer advocacy and community building.
“January believed deeply in the power of community and in lifting people up when the world tried to push them down. These award recipients carry that same spirit through their courage, leadership, and commitment to justice, care, and belonging. It is an honour to recognize their work and to see January’s legacy continue through a new generation of changemakers,” states Sher Pride Founder Amar Sangha.
All winners for the 2025 January Award are listed below.
OVERALL WINNERS
(16 to 30)
• Graham Robertson, Winner, $2000, Mississauga, 29
• Lillian Chen, 1st Runner Up, $1000, Surrey, 27
• Clio Lake, 2nd Runner Up, $500, Vancouver, 26
• Nhylar, 2nd Runner Up, $500, Vancouver, 29
• Alysha Collie, Honourable Mention, $400, Vancouver, 29
EMERGING YOUTH LEADERS
(16 to 23)
In addition to the Top 5 winners above, Sher Pride is pleased to recognize six Emerging Youth Leaders between the ages of 16 and 23. While these applicants did not rank in the Top 5, their submissions demonstrated exceptional promise, dedication, and impact. These awards reflect Sher Pride’s commitment to encouraging, acknowledging, and uplifting youth who are already making meaningful contributions to the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
The six Emerging Youth Leaders are listed below in random order:
• Olive Borowski, $300, Owen Sound, Ontario, 17
• Lilith St.Onge, $300, Surrey, 21
• Lorraine Pan, $300, Toronto, 21
• Brandon Bal, $300, Toronto, 19
• Juan Imperial, $300, Richmond, 23
• Raine Hermosa, $300, North Vancouver, 18
BIOS OF OVERALL WINNERS
(16 to 30)
Graham Robertson, Winner, $2000, Mississauga, 29
Graham Robertson (he/him) is a queer, second-generation Indian Canadian with experience advancing 2SLGBTQ+ rights through policy, research, and advocacy. Most recently, he worked as an analyst with Women and Gender Equality Canada, where he specialized in 2SLGBTQ+ policy. His work included developing federal budget proposals, strengthening 2SLGBTQ+ equality in Canada’s international engagement, and representing Canada abroad at the Equal Rights Coalition.
Graham is currently pursuing a Master’s in Diplomatic Studies at the University of Oxford, where his research focuses on Global South diplomatic engagement on 2SLGBTQ+ rights. He also holds a Master’s in Human Rights and Politics from the London School of Economics, where he wrote his dissertation on 2SLGBTQ+ rights in Canada’s foreign policy.
Graham has presented at conferences in Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom, including at the Safer to be Me global summit on 2SLGBTQ+ rights, and with the International Association of Pride Organizers (InterPride).
Lillian Chen, 1st Runner Up, $1000, Surrey, 27
Lillian Chen (she/her) is a 1.5-generation Taiwanese immigrant, and a medical student at the University of British Columbia (UBC) who was previously trained as a pharmacist. Outside of clinical practice, she works with PrideRx, based out of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at UBC, to advance inclusive, affirming healthcare for 2SLGBTQ+ communities through education, research, and systems change.
As Project Manager of PrideRx, Lillian has led efforts to integrate sexual orientation, gender identity, and inclusion competencies into the Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum. She has worked closely with 2SLGBTQ+ community advisory committees to ensure lived experience meaningfully informs curricular reform and has led research that centres queer voices and co-creates solutions grounded in community priorities. She has shared this work nationally and internationally.
Through her advocacy and training, Lillian is committed to improving access to culturally safe care and supporting future health professionals to deliver competent, equity-driven care for 2SLGBTQ+ patients.
Clio Lake, 2nd Runner Up, $500, Vancouver, 26
Clio Lake is a Master of Public Health student and community organiser living on unceded xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and səlil̓wətaʔɬ territories. They’re a project lead for Sagah, an organiser for the Vancouver Dyke March, and a steering committee co-chair for the BC Health Coalition.
Coordinating a team of passionate advocates, researchers, healthcare workers, and medical students in BC, they've led a dynamic get-out-the-vote campaign raising the alarm on politicised attacks against trans youth and reaching hundreds of thousands of voters, co-authored a first-of-its-kind report to the Ministry of Health on the state of 2S/TNB healthcare, and mobilised over eighty 2S/LGBTQIA+ and feminist organisations and over a thousand community members and allies to sign letters for real change.
Clio’s day-to-day involves campaigning, designing policy interventions, and building relationships with allies, coalitions, and policy makers. They are passionate about queer futurity and helping to create a kinder, more communal world through collective action.
Nhylar, 2nd Runner Up, $500, Vancouver, 29
Nhylar (she/they/he) is a queer GNC communications and marketing strategist, curator, and community arts event producer born in India and a settler on MST territories. They are powered by creating media and events that set queers free. Nhylar has produced numerous events bringing together the Desi, Queer and Desi Queer communities in Vancouver, LA and beyond. Most recently, they curated the Desi Pride Block Party in collaboration with Sher Pride and Punjabi Market Collective and the Gully Diwali Market in 2025. Craving the deliciousness of building inclusive non-binary, femme and QTBIPOC space, he was inspired by the epiphany that a single piece of media, or the gathering of the 2SLGBTQ+ community from a deep place of genuine inclusion, can change your core belief about something and make us see the world anew.
Alysha Collie, Honourable Mention, $400, Vancouver, 29
Alysha Collie (she/her) is a Coast Salish artist, published author, storyteller and filmmaker from the Soowahlie First Nation mixed with European settler and African ancestry.
She works at 3 Crows Productions where she shares educational Indigenous stories through the mediums of theatre and film. She has also worked this year as the Indigenous Community Engagement Manager at Zee Zee Theatre and Touchstone Theatre, both of which have 2SLGTBQIA+ focusses and uplift voices of historically excluded communities through live theatre productions and community-based events.
Alysha runs her own company called The Collie Collective (@Collie.Collective on Instagram) where she focuses on decolonization and reclaiming her ancestral roots through her beaded jewelry, Salish art and apparel creations.
In recent years, Alysha in partnership with local theatres has raised over $4,500 for local Indigenous non-profits in Vancouver who support healing initiatives for the multi-generations that have been affected by the Residential School system.
BIOS OF EMERGING YOUTH LEADERS
(16 to 23)
In Random Order
Lilith St.Onge
I am a 22 year old long-time activist and advocate and I use any pronouns. I have been active in the queer community since I was 14 through the youth activist group ‘Youth for a Change’. Even though student and adult life has taken me away from being as active as I was as a teenager, I am still as deeply devoted to the cause of equality and social justice. I have been lucky enough to coordinate and assist in the creation of many queer youth events, museum exhibits and presentations that helped shape me into the activist and student I am today.
Lorraine Pan
Lorraine Pan (they/them) is a feminist writer, activist, and artist. They are studying Women and Gender Studies at the University of Toronto. Their work explores the lived intersections of trans and queer people, migrant communities, and transnational activism. Through their writing, activism and artwork, they connect LGBTQ rights with racial equity and environmental justice, emphasizing solidarity across communities. Their work can be found at lorrainepan.com.
Brandon Bal
Brandon Bal (he/him) one of this year's Emerging Youth Leaders, currently studying at the University of Toronto. Raised in Surrey, BC, Brandon’s lived experiences navigating culture, faith, and identity have shaped a strong commitment to inclusion, education, and empathy. He has been actively involved in student leadership, community advocacy, and peer support initiatives, consistently working to create affirming spaces for queer and racialized youth. Brandon is particularly passionate about increasing access to culturally relevant 2SLGBTQ+ resources and fostering dialogue within South Asian and religious communities. Grounded in care, empathy, and dialogue, his work reflects a commitment to building spaces where young people feel seen, supported, and empowered. As he continues his studies, Brandon remains dedicated to fostering inclusion across cultural, religious, and educational spaces.
Juan Imperial
Juan Imperial (he/she/they) is a Filipino, queer artist, teacher and community leader with roots in vogue and waacking. Since the age of 14, Juan has been dedicated to uplifting, teaching, and supporting the queer street dance scene and local queer, trans and BIPOC youth. Juan has taught for VancityWaack, VanVogueJam, FORM film festival, SFU, UBC, and Emily Carr among other spaces across Vancouver. In the Canadian ballroom scene, Juan has won over 22 grand prizes across their nearing decade long career. Juan is the first ever Butch Queen Vogue Femme and Hands Performance of the year, has helped support the creation of the VKBA, The first house, and has been instrumental in raising the third generation of Vancouver Voguer’s. Juan is known as a ballroom mother to many of the queer, filipino youth in the community being a beacon of representation, advocacy and artistic excellence to these demographics.
Raine Hermosa
Raine Hermosa (he/him), also known as Bishi, is a musician and artist based in Vancouver BC. His work spans music production, songwriting and the visual arts. He also performs under the drag persona, “Frutigo Aro”, exploring themes of aromantic identity and relationship using 2000s technology aesthetics. Raine was co-leader of the Royal Bay Secondary School Queer Club in Colwood BC from 2022 to 2025, preparing weekly meetings and activities as well as several school wide events including the June Pride Week, which in 2025 raised funds for the Victoria Youth Empowerment Society. Raine is currently studying Music and Sound at the SFU School for Contemporary Arts. He is preparing to release new music and perform throughout 2026.
Olive Borowski
Olive Borowski (she/they) has been dedicated to making the world a safer space. Raised by an activist mother and a caring father, I have been protesting since I can remember to better the world around me. After facing the fear of pride flag burnings in my school, on my porch and constant violence in my community I have promised to dedicate what I can to ending the hurt in rural towns like mine.
CONCLUSION
The 2025 January Award recipients embody the spirit, courage, and compassion that defined January Marie Lapuz’s life and legacy. From grassroots organizing, arts, culture, and youth leadership, this year’s winners demonstrate the depth and diversity of 2SLGBTQ+ leadership across generations and geographies. Sher Pride is honoured to celebrate these individuals and to invest directly in their continued growth, recognizing that their work strengthens communities, saves lives, and helps build a more just, inclusive, and hopeful future.
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Media Inquiries
Amar Sangha MSW
Founder of Sher Pride
info@sherpride.ca
www.sherpride.ca
January Award Official Website: https://januaryfilm.com/
Coming April 2026 www.sundarprize.com
Photos attached of award winners who wish to share their photos.
To get in touch with award winners please email info@sherpride.ca and your media request will be forwarded to the relevant award recipient.