Lady Phyll, the co-founder of UK Black Pride, is giving her insight into UK Black Pride 2020.
Our 15th anniversary celebration on Sunday, 16 August comes at a difficult time for many in our communities, and we want to reiterate to our communities that we are committed in our mission as the pride-home for LGBTQ people of colour across the UK.
It’s an emotional moment for me and the team at UK Black Pride, and this celebration is an opportunity for us to come together to celebrate who we are and to say ‘thank you’ to everyone, past and present, who has helped make UK Black Pride what it is.
Our resolve and dedication continues to grow and we are thrilled to be delivering Pride in such a unique and special way. The areas our communities normally enjoy at our physical events have had a little digital transformation: The ‘Main Stage’ is hosted by actor and playwright Rikke Beadle-Blair MBE, features speeches from POSE’s Dominique Jackson and transgender model and activist Munroe Bergdorf and is headlined by VINCINT. The ‘Wellbeing Area’ features talks from MicroRainbow, Rainbow Noir, Kiki Bristol and Gendered Intelligence, with performances from Sherika Sherard and Waste Womxn.
But we’ve also created two additional spaces: The Desi room, hosted by Ryan Lanji and Maria Munir, and the Queer Young Folx room, which hosted by Sabah Choudrey and Don Juan. Both rooms include a plethora of queer performers, speakers and entertainers that I am highly anticipating to be some of the best shows of the year.
Our hope is to entertain you, help ease any anxiety you all may be feeling and create a space for us to support each other during what has turned out to be quite a chaotic and uncertain year.
And I want to say a special thank you to our team of volunteers who have been working relentlessly to help make this digital celebration a reality. UK Black Pride is by us, for us and about us and we can’t wait to celebrate our 15th birthday with you.
Much love and respect,
Lady Phyll
Who is Lady Phyll?
Phyll Opoku-Gyimah is the nucleus of the award-winning celebration and protest that is UK Black Pride. Widely known as Lady Phyll – partly due to her decision to reject an MBE in the New Year’s Honours' list to protest Britain’s role in formulating anti-LGBTQ penal codes across its empire – she is also the executive director of Kaleidoscope Trust, an organisation working towards the liberation of LGBTQ people around the world; a community builder and organiser; an Albert Kennedy Trust patron, and a public speaker focusing on race, gender, sexuality and class.
She's regularly called upon to advise nascent LGBTQ organisations around the world to help leaders create cogent organising strategies, establish robust partnership networks and work effectively in service of the LGBTQ community.
When is UK Black Pride?
UK Black Pride is proud to announce that on Sunday, 16 August, our annual event will take place online from 12pm – 6pm (BST).
How do I attendee UK Black Pride?
You can participate in UK Black Pride for free ukblackpride.org.uk for free.
What is happening in 2020 for UK Black Pride?
The online celebration features a powerful array of performers, speakers, hosts and organisations, each of whom is committed to helping combat loneliness and isolation among LGBTQ people and colour, and who are coming together to celebrate UK Black Pride’s 15-year milestone.
What is UK Black Pride?
Founded in 2005, UK Black Pride is Europe’s largest celebration for LGBTQ people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Middle Eastern and Latin American descent, and is a safe space to celebrate diverse sexualities, gender identities, gender expressions and cultures. UK Black Pride organises an annual celebration during pride month, as well as a variety of activities throughout the year, which promote and advocate for the spiritual, emotional and intellectual health, and wellbeing of the communities we represent.
More information, including a full schedule, is available on the UK Black Pride website.
