Each summer, the UBC Faculty of Education’s CampOUT! brings together 2SLGBTQIA+ youth from across British Columbia and the Yukon to the shores of Chá7elkwnech (Gambier Island), creating a joyful, affirming space that mirrors the intergenerational orca pods in nearby Átl’ka7tsem (Howe Sound). What started as a day camp in 2009 has grown into a five-day retreat packed with workshops, art, drag, sports, and lessons on anti-racism and Indigenous resurgence — all designed to help campers “find their pod.” Amid rising anti-Trans sentiment and disappearing safe spaces, CampOUT!’s 2025 theme, “Find Your Pod: 16 Years of Queer Joy,” celebrates solidarity, resistance, and chosen family.
“We’ve been able to build a community of more than 1,000 Queer youth. Many of them become part of camp in an intergenerational way. A lot of our campers become cabin leaders, who then become community mentors … One of our campers last year became one of our co-directors of camp.”
— Daniel Gallardo – CampOUT! Director
Read the full story from the Ubyssey here.
