On the same concrete stage, where one after another spoke of the strength and resilience of the LGBTQ community, someone had placed a single bright candle, its orange wax bleeding into yellow, and the light snuffed.
Sprinkled in the audience of more than 150 at Lheidli T'enneh Memorial Park, many more held candles, shielding the flames from the wind.
They stood as Prince George's vigil Monday night for the victims of a lone gunman at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla. Rainbow flags draped shoulders, while others held signs that read "Stand with Orlando" and "Love over Fear."
"The whole community is suffering," said Jean Baptiste, a former president with Northern Pride Society.
In the face of oppression, in the face of hate, Baptiste told the crowd it is their numbers and their presence that matters.
"It's because of us who are here today that we see that love is stronger than hate. People are able to come together for an amazing cause, to support people that we don't even know. That is amazing"
"That is so special."
The Saturday before the attack vigil organizer Krystal Vandenberg was "out and proud" at Quesnel's second annual pride.
"I was laughing, having fun, celebrating diversity," said Vandenberg, last year's Northern Pride Society president.
She, too, was at a club.
"You never go into this place and think today I might die."
That is where the queer community can go, be themselves, hold hands and kiss when such acts aren't accepted in public.
Vandenberg recalled waking up to the news of so many dead.
"I froze and I started shaking," said Vandenberg, her voice quivering as she said the words, how people like her had been "targeted and murdered."
The pride flag was raised and then placed at half mast at both city hall and the University of Northern B.C. Dan Ryan, UNBC's interim Vice President Academic and Provost spoke in president Daniel Weeks' stead.
Ryan invoked one sign from the audience asking for love over fear, or hate.
"Homophobia cannot be beat with Islamophobia" said UNBC student David Schroeter after he listed the names of some of the victims.
"Many of the victims were young people like myself."
Fizza Rashid said many in Prince George aren't familiar with the Muslim community and she stood as an ally of the LGBTQ community and also to push against misconceptions of her faith.
"Nobody deserves to die because of their sexuality," said Rashid, also a UNBC student.
Please do not allow the actions of one man to represent the rest of us."
Rashid appealed for equality for all, regardless or race, religion or sexuality.
"When we live in a democracy we cannot pick and choose who gets rights and who doesn't. Democracy is an all or nothing ideology," she said.
"We as minorities cannot cry injustice in the face of discrimination towards religions or our races and in the same breath turn a blind eye when people in our own community are being killed because their love contradicts our beliefs. That is wrong."
