You can argue the empowerment behind the Gay Pride Parade is embodied by Edmontonians like Shannon Barry.

The once-a-year event lets people of all sexual orientations wear their true colours – only bigger and more flamboyant than normal – as they march through our city's core in an event that celebrates difference.

But for the 31-year-old, the boisterous nature of Saturday's event is tempered by wounds that are still healing ; several weeks ago the lesbian was allegedly attacked by a 14-year-old boy and other males who she says hurled homophobic slurs at her like ‘dyke' and ‘faggot'.

"I hear about it happening all the time but I never thought it would happen to me," Barry told CTV News shortly after the incident. "This boy ran up and kicked me in the face and I was out cold. He kicked me so hard that even on my knees he flipped me over."

At the time, Barry said she felt betrayed by city police, who admitted they didn't file her report quickly enough and later determined the attack was random, ruling it out as a hate crime.

"It absolutely has pretty much destroyed my faith in the public," Barry said after hearing the news.

But on Saturday, as she banded together with thousand of our city's gays and their supporters, there was a marked shift in attitude.

"I don't know about faith and I don't know about trust, but I feel loved and I'm okay," she said.

The parade's organizer says embracing people like Barry and fighting for universal tolerance is what Pride Week is all about.

"Love and acceptance is the main theme of the festival and the more exposure we get it seems like [it] snowballs," said Matthew Malek.

One participant said he was relieved Saturday's event didn't face any antagonism.

"I didn't see a protester in sight so it just feel wonderful to know that so many people support the community,'" said Michael Cursio.

But even if protesters did turn up, it's unlikely Barry would have backed down. After her battered face was splashed across newspapers and television screens, she's become a role model for Edmonton's gay community, and she has a message to others who face marginalization.

"I'm not afraid to be who I am. I'm not going to let fear run my life. I'm not going to walk different or talk different," she said.

"Don't be afraid - I'm not, even after everything."

A host of events are scheduled for Saturday night through to next Sunday to celebrate Pride Week. For more information, click here.

With Files from CTV's Sean Amato