Virginia McCallum is one of the 2026 recipients of the Rainbow Youth Leadership Bursary, an award that recognizes young leaders for their outstanding efforts in promoting inclusivity and support for 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals. Virginia told us about some of her work advocating for 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals and communities.
How did you find out about the award, and what was your reaction to finding out you’d won it?
I found out about the Rainbow Leadership Award through my high school’s scholarship classroom. I was overjoyed when I realized that I won the award and immediately called my parents.
Please tell us about some of the work you’ve done to make your community more inclusive and accepting of 2SLGBTQIA+ people.
I have helped foster 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion and acceptance by taking action to actively change my community through securing a separate pole for my school’s Pride flag, raising money for an interactive mural, and creating the Queer Connexions Conference. I was the co-president of the Gay Student Association for 3 years. In 2022, my school’s Pride flag was torn down. With the GSA, I organized a rally to support 2SLGBTQIA+ students and secured a separate pole for the Pride flag, ensuring it could be displayed safely and respectfully. I advocated for a 2SLGBTQIA+ mural by pitching it to the student council and securing funding. The mural is interactive, inviting students to paint on existing art or use attachable panels. Finally, I helped organize and run our annual Queer Connexions Conference, an event that connects high school 2SLGBTQIA+ communities across schools. My contributions have helped foster an accepting and inclusive environment for 2SLGBTQIA+ people.
If you could change one thing about London and Middlesex County to make it a more inclusive and accepting community, what would it be?
If I could change one thing about London and Middlesex County to make it a more inclusive and accepting community, I would suggest finding a way to clear up misunderstandings. Many issues involving inclusion and acceptance stem from misinformation and misunderstanding. By improving communication and providing a safe space for people to ask questions freely, London and Middlesex County could help reduce hate and foster inclusion and acceptance.
In your application, you told us you’re a band leader and co-director in the school play. What first inspired your interest in the arts, and why are the arts important in our society?
My interest in the arts started when I was introduced to music and theatre. I was first exposed to music through the radio. Growing up, I loved to hear songs, and I eventually learned to sing by listening. As for theatre, I was first exposed to it during elementary school. My school put on musicals each year, and after watching them, I began to admire theatre. I fell in love with the expression and emotion I saw theatre bring to others. I believe the arts are important to our society because they help people express themselves emotionally. The arts give people the medium to say everything without a word, or say everything through song, dance, and more.
This award recognizes your leadership – are there any leaders you look up to, and what qualities do they have that influence your leadership style?
Yes, there are many leaders that I look up to; however, the leader I look up to the most is Donna Creighton. Donna Creighton was one of my high school teachers, and she is my mentor for the arts. I met her in grade 9, and she has always shown me what a leader should be. Some qualities of hers that have influenced my leadership are strong communication, connection to others, empathy, and emotional intelligence. She helped me improve my communication with others so we could work together. I learned to connect with my team, understand their lives, and be empathetic towards others. Above all else, she taught me to be emotionally intelligent, especially when dealing with difficult team members. I am most grateful for her lessons and will continue to look up to her.
What would your advice be to other young people who are thinking about getting involved in advocacy or leadership surrounding any issues that they’re passionate about?
My advice for other young people who are thinking about getting involved in advocacy and leadership surrounding any issues that they are passionate about is to build a community and support system. Change is not created by one person; it happens because multiple people change for the better. So if someone wants to create change, finding a community and building bonds with others will help them make an impact.
