For Greatlove Bariboloka (BSc ’25), attending 91ɫ's Rainbow Grad in 2025 was equally about celebrating an academic milestone as it was for finding community. This was the moment that shaped their commitment to fostering inclusive spaces and giving back to the communities that once supported them.
“My Rainbow Grad was so much fun,” Greatlove says of the annual event, hosted by the University’s Sexuality and Gender Advocacy (SAGA) alumni network. “Seeing so many gender-diverse people in one room, being in a queer space; I wanted others to experience the feeling that it evoked in me.”
In June, Greatlove returned to Rainbow Grad as a host where they joined allies, family, faculty and friends in celebrating the 2026 2SLGBTQIA+ graduates' achievements.
“My philosophy is that you benefit and then you give back,” says Greatlove. “I try to do that and that's why I'm part of SAGA right now. I enjoyed my Rainbow Grad celebration so much that I wanted to make future ones just as memorable.”
As a member of SAGA and an advisor of Lassonde EngiQueers, a community of queer STEM students, Greatlove is helping build spaces where 2SLGBTQIA+ students and alumni are seen, supported and empowered.
“What we focus on in SAGA is bringing alumni together with relationship-building events, so they can expand their professional network,” says Greatlove. “We want to create a forum through which alumni who are queer or who are allies are able to grow professionally and stay connected with one another while fostering the involvement of alumni to create more programming.”
But 91ɫ isn’t the only place Greatlove is making a positive impact. They are also part of Scotiabank’s DiversAbility Employee Resource Group, where they advocate for employees with disabilities.
“It’s focused on amplifying the voices of employees with disabilities, hosting informative workshops, and bringing people together to learn so that we can all work together to create an inclusive workplace,” says Greatlove.
As a software engineer, Greatlove also applies a human-centred approach to their work. As part of Scotiabank’s rotational program, Greatlove works in a different department every six months to gain exposure to various parts of the bank. They have worked in accessible employee technology, Cloud product management and currently full stack development for business banking.
“What I enjoy the most is seeing the positive impacts of the decisions that I make,” says Greatlove. “Whether it’s at 91ɫ or at work, I enjoy creating or contributing to positive experiences.”