Honouring Lambda’s History: Interview 01 — Hugh Nelson
Stories from the Beginning: Hugh Nelson and the Roots of Lambda
As part of the 40th-anniversary celebrations of Lambda Scholarship Foundation Canada, this oral history project reflects on four decades of community leadership, advocacy, and change.
The series documents the voices of people who helped shape the Foundation’s mission to advance equity in education, research, and support for 2SLGBTQIA+ communities across Canada. By sharing their experiences, these interviews preserve the stories, turning points, and relationships that continue to define Lambda’s legacy.
The first interview features Hugh Nelson, a long-time supporter of equity in education and an early contributor to the Foundation’s development. Nelson’s connection to Lambda is rooted not only in his own involvement but also in his partnership with the late Gary Sealey, one of Lambda’s founders and a driving force in its community-building efforts. Hugh remains closely engaged with the organization, offering ongoing support and participating in initiatives that strengthen its impact.
In this conversation, Nelson reflects on Lambda’s evolution—from early days as a social club with a vision for change to its emergence as a recognized advocate for scholarship access and inclusive academic spaces. He shares personal stories about the Foundation’s growth, the determination required to achieve charitable status, the fundraising challenges along the way, and the lasting influence of Gary Sealey’s leadership. Together, these reflections provide valuable insight into the roots of an organization that has spent forty years expanding opportunities for 2SLGBTQIA+ students and researchers.
Stay tuned—six additional interviews in this 40th-anniversary project will explore new experiences, challenges, and insights from across Lambda’s history.
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About the Interviewer: Christopher DiRaddo
Christopher DiRaddo is the author of the novels The Family Way (2021), shortlisted for the F.G. Bressani Literary Prize, and The Geography of Pluto (2014). His essays and short stories have appeared in First Person Queer: Who We Are (So Far), Here & Now: An Anthology of Queer Italian-Canadian Writing, and The Globe and Mail. He has also written for several publications, including Elle Canada, XTRA magazine, and enRoute magazine, for which he won a National Magazine Award. In 2014, he created the Violet Hour Reading Series & Book Club, which has to date provided a platform for more than 300 LGBTQ writers in Canada to connect with new audiences. He lives in Montreal. Check out his website and subscribe to The Violet Letter: Your guide to LGBTQ+ lit in Montreal (and beyond).
