Lisa Burke has a challenge for her fellow Kelowna business owners that she believes will make this community a bit better and brighter.
乌鸦传媒淲e are putting a rainbow sticker on our doors to symbolize that we are a safe space,乌鸦传媒� said Burke, the owner of Burke Hair Lounge on Lawrence Avenue.
Burke said she乌鸦传媒檇 like to extend that sense of safety to the entire community and she乌鸦传媒檚 printed a whole stack of rainbow stickers and challenges local businesses to go get one for their own doors.
乌鸦传媒淭here will be no prejudice, no discrimination, and no hate here in our salon乌鸦传媒 built this salon for a reason and that reason is love,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淭his salon makes me feel safe to be myself, the other stylists to be their own quirky selves, and our clients to feel safe to be who they are.乌鸦传媒�
Burke said she realizes that the feeling of safety she values isn乌鸦传媒檛 extended to all.
Two Saturday乌鸦传媒檚 ago she was in her salon when she witnessed an exchange between two men who were walking by and a third party. She knew something had happened, but wasn乌鸦传媒檛 sure what until a couple hours later when the men came back.
乌鸦传媒淲ithout going into too much detail, nobody should feel like they can乌鸦传媒檛 walk in downtown Kelowna holding hands without being verbally or even physically assaulted,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淟uckily they treated the situation with love, but if they hadn乌鸦传媒檛 who knows what could have happened.乌鸦传媒�
That乌鸦传媒檚 when she realized she wanted to be part of an effort to counter the negativity in the world.
乌鸦传媒淚 decided I乌鸦传媒檓 going to copy Portland,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淏usinesses there have stickers for everything 乌鸦传媒� anxiety free and breast feeding safe spaces and the rainbow sticker campaign.乌鸦传媒�
At neighbouring business Rayacom Printers she ordered a load of rainbow stickers and started distributing stickers to anyone who expressed interest. Thus far there have been five businesses to follow her lead and she expects more to follow with an increasing number of messages of interest being left at her business.
乌鸦传媒淚 think it乌鸦传媒檚 about spreading love and awareness and education,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淚f we can work together we can make a difference.乌鸦传媒�
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