Victim of homophobic attack moves from hate to hope

On Saturday, Edmontonians will take part in the third annual from Hate to Hope March, an event focused on ending bullying, hate crimes and homophobia.

While the event focuses on hope, it has its roots in a dark time in the life of Chevi Rabbit. In July 2012, Rabbit, 28, was attacked in a Edmonton Safeway parking lot by a group of men who hurled homophobic slurs at him.

Little did he know back then that "From Hate to Hope" would become a slogan for his life.

Rabbit was only 12 when he came out to his mother while living in Ponoka County, Alta., near theMontana First Nation, his home reserve and one of the four nations of Maskwacis, the community formerly known as Hobbema.She responded nonchalantly and asked him if he was happy, to which he replied yes.

"When I look back on it, the whole coming out thing, there was no spotlight light on it, like I was not a freak. It was like an everyday casual thing, so it was normalized basically, he says.

My whole life I never really had to focus on my sexuality. I focused on my creativity, education, and self-development.

When Rabbit was 14,he began experimenting with wearing eyeliner and foundation. He was never teased in schoolfor being gay or for wearing makeup.

After high school, he studied hospitality and tourism management at Red Deer College and took esthetics at Marvel College.Thats when Rabbit began to incorporate womens clothing into his wardrobe.

Its not really like I wear it to be a woman, I wear it to be androgynous, he said. Sometimes I wear a dress just to be avantgarde. Its more about fashion, because I love fashion. I find makeup and clothes are a really good way to express yourself as an individual.

Never one to stand still, Rabbit decided to study First Nations economic development in Edmonton.

'I really found my own voice'

On July 19, 2012,Rabbitlefthis campus residence to go to the supermarket.He was crossing the parking lot when a group of young menbegan to yell derogatory names at him from their vehicle.

Rabbit said hedecided to be the bigger person. Hesaid thank you to his bullies and held his head high. Thats when things turned ugly. One of the mengot out of the car and began to attack him. Thankfully,people were able tocome to his rescue.

It was pretty crazy, Rabbitsaid.I had never had anything like that happen to me.

Rabbitfinished his semester at school but suffered from severe anxiety that made it nearly impossible for him to attend class. He decided that he needed to take a year off.

I was in therapy for almost a year and on different medications for anxiety but now Im off," he said.

In August 2012, Rabbit was joined by200 others for the first Hate to Hope march which started inthe same neighbourhood where he was attacked, and ended with a rally at the Alberta legislature.

In April, Alberta Justice Minister Jonathan Denis presented Rabbit withthe 2014 Hate Crime Awareness Youth Award, from the Alberta Hate Crime Committee.

Now hes ready to ramp up for the third annual Hate to Hope march and rally and return to his educational pursuits this fall.

Despite his hardship, Rabbit hasput away his anger andmoved forward.

When I fall in love with something, I usually go right into it, he says. Thats how Hate to Hope was too because at that time in my life I felt passionate about it because I really felt that what happened to me was really unfair.

I really found my own voice, my own courage.- Chevi Rabbit

Rabbitnowhas his sights on earninga law degree with a specialty in contract law and his heart set on politics, although he has yet to determine whether it will be for his First Nation, or at themunicipal or provincial level.

Basically I was meant to be a politician, Im meeting all these politicians, Im learning what they are doing, .and Im realizing that its difficult but its attainable, Rabbit said.

He saw how support frompoliticians helped the Hate to Hope cause and it has inspired him to do the same for others.

I really found my own voice, my own courage.

The third annual Hate to Hope march and rally takes place in Edmonton on Saturday, July 19, at 6 p.m. MT.