Welcome to Pride in The Y family, let us show you around!
This year, The Y will celebrate, “Constellations of Us”. We want to shine the light on the magnetic energy of connection, because when individuals come together, they create something luminous and larger than life.
Like stars forming constellations, every person’s light contributes to a shared, breathtaking universe. Each dancer, costume, and light pulse represents unity across generations, cultures and identities.
Our message, “Shining Brighter, Together!”, embodies collective joy and celebrates the power of chosen community — found family — who guide us, ground us, and help us shine our brightest. Together, we transform the night into a living galaxy of pride, belonging and infinite light.
Bryan Jader: Our North Star
Bryan is back for his third march and is taking the lead as Float Marshal for The Y. He’s been the driving force behind the growth of The Y’s inclusivity programs and instrumental in our Mardi Gras involvement.
Ellie Brown, part of The Y team who works closely with Bryan, said he carves a powerful pathway for the LGBTQIA+ community:
He leads with open arms, creating spaces where people feel seen, accepted, and celebrated for who they truly are. By leveraging the strengths of those around him, Bry brings harmony to our team and helps build a brighter, more inclusive future- whether he’s proudly heading up events like the Mardi Gras parade or being the first to put his hand up to advocate for others. He is a deeply valued team player who brings people together and inspires us all to lead with pride and purpose.
Bryan launched the Affinity Network, a support network for The Y that cultivates a safe and inclusive space by raising awareness of LGBTQIA+ experiences and barriers in the community.
As the big weekend approaches, he’s been reflecting on The Y’s past Mardi Gras marches and had this to share:
Just a couple of weekends ago, I had a lovely surprise while visiting my parents—I stumbled upon my official lanyard from MG2022! Mum had found it while rearranging things in my old room and placed it in front of her favourite picture of me from that night. It's the one where I’m gazing out at the crowd.
When I asked her why she loved that photo so much, she shared that it was such a special moment for her. It was her first time seeing me in the parade—her first ever MG experience—and even though she was way up in the "nosebleeds," she’ll never forget the excitement of hearing our float being announced on the PA and me spotting her among the crowd right before we sashayed down the runway.
She was so proud, and it made her incredibly happy to see me filled with joy and surrounded by my Y family. She finally understood what I meant when I talked about how "chosen family" is just as important for queer people as a "given family." She saw that I was happy, supported, and surrounded by friends and community.
This memory means the world to me, and I still get emotional when I think about it.
For me, a brighter future beckons us — and our message for Mardi Gras is a powerful affirmation for all queer youth and those young at heart, together with the allies who walk beside us. We possess incredible strength, confidence, and courage that can ignite change.
We create a tapestry of resilience and unity that empowers us all by embracing our unique qualities and celebrating our beautiful differences. Together, we can fight for equal human rights and transform our world into a place of love and acceptance.
Let’s harness our collective power and inspire one another to rise, dream, and create a legacy of impact. The future is ours to shape—let’s make it extraordinary!
AJ and Jade: Friends to Family
This Mardi Gras, we are not only excited to have AJ Ogilvy march with us, we are incredibly proud that he gets to do it with his ‘Found Family’.
Jade Ashley, AJ’s best friend since high school and part of the Y since 2014, will march alongside AJ this coming Saturday with the whole of The Y family behind them.
For Pride this year, The Y is celebrating ‘Found Families’; recognising that your family isn’t just the people you were ‘given’, it's also the ones you choose. AJ said that there is no better way to describe Jade.
“We’ve always said, ‘friends are the family you choose’”
Jade, PMO Manager at The Y, said she is ready to march beside AJ, but doesn’t need a reason to celebrate her love for her best friend, it’s something that comes naturally every day.
“It’s a no if’s or but’s kind of love.”
The pair have even dedicated tattoos to each other to honour their friendship. AJ said that the tattoo on his wrist, written by Jade, shows how much she means to him.
“I have a tattoo that reads ‘family’ when you flip it one way, and ‘friends’ the other.”
Both are looking forward to marching this Pride. AJ says, just to be a part of the march with The Y community is incredible.
“It’s awesome to be proud and open this year. I’ve always wanted to [march] but never had the opportunity to. I’m thankful to have The Y community to walk with and celebrate.”
Jade said she’s grateful to be able to march in support of The Y community, in particular, Bryan Jader, who's been the catalyst behind LGBTQIA+ inclusivity programs such as the Affinity Network.
“I don't think The Y would be where it is with diversity and inclusivity programs without the driving force of Bryan Jader.”
Allies: One Constellation
The Y is not only giving our LGBTQIA+ members a voice but allows our amazing allies to help them shine. We want to recognise the integral part our Allies play in creating those safe spaces and grounding connections.
Jeanette Lasorsa is making 2026 the year she steps out with her Y Family in support at Mardi Gras:
This will be my first time marching in Mardi Gras, and I’m proud to be doing it with The Y NSW; an organisation that genuinely values inclusion and respect. I’ve attended many times before, but being part of the conversations behind this year’s theme has given me a deeper appreciation of what allyship and found family mean. Constellations of Us speaks to how we come together to support one another and shine brighter as a community.
Gayan Ekanayake will march at Mardi Gras for the second time with The Y. As a proud ally, he’s excited to be a part of the celebration and take to the Sydney streets again.
Gayan said that seeing the impact of the effort he puts into creating a safe and accepting community makes him incredibly proud.
“We march because belonging doesn’t happen by accident, it’s built through visibility, respect and support."
Young People: Finding Family at The Y
Young people at The Y make us who we are. Their passion, ambition and courage drive our organisation to do better — and we do the same in return.
Our ability to create safe spaces for young people to thrive and express themselves freely is something we are extremely proud of. We want to share the spirit of Pride throughout our community at The Y, by shining a light on what some of our young people have had to say:
“When i was 15, i was homeless. At the time i was doing youth parliament and the people i met there became the family and support i needed. My friends, the taskies, even other participants whom I barely knew all came together to love and support me. Im so lucky i found my family with the Y.”
-Raine, 17
“I think its beautiful that The Y is creating comfort and community for queer people that sometimes don’t have a given family to rely on and they have a space here at the Y where they can connect with their chosen family. I think it’s a tumultuous time for Australians and celebrations like Mardi Gras bring us together and help us remember the beauty of culture and community.”
-Aled S, 18
“I literally found my best friend in the world at youth parliament, I remember being asked if we were separated at birth because of how quickly we connected, our connection is so natural and strong, we live across the state from one another but ive never once doubted our closeness. My found family has been so essential for my life, even though he’s distant, i never feel isolated.”
-Amali R, 18
