FOR THE first time in its history UK Black Pride will hold its annual celebration online. 

Like many pride events around the world, UK Black Pride made the decision to postpone its annual celebration because of COVID-19. 

However this Sunday (August 16) the event will take place online from 12pm – 6pm.

The online celebration takes place at the organisation’s website and will feature an array of performers, speakers, hosts and organisations, each of whom, the organisation says,  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”. 

The digital event will also mark UK Black Pride’s 15th anniversary. 

UK Black Pride was founded in 2005, when UK Black Pride’s co-founder and executive director, Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, travelled to Southend-on-Sea with a coachload  of black lesbians for a day trip.

Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, co-founder and executive director of UK Black Pride said: “Our anniversary celebration comes at a difficult time for many in our communities, and we want to reiterate to our communities that we are committed to being the pride-home for LGBTQ people of colour across the UK.

Emotional

“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.”

She added: “We love our community so much and we hope our anniversary celebration goes some way in helping alleviate some of the loneliness and isolation that so many have been feeling.”

To help amplify UK Black Pride’s anniversary, UK Black Pride has launched our This is Me. This is Home campaign – an integrated digital, social and PR campaign led by Ogilvy UK. 

Mission

A spokesperson said: “The campaign celebrates the 15th anniversary of UK Black Pride and reaffirms UK Black Pride’s mission as the ‘pride-home’ for LGBTQ people across the UK. The campaign also signifies that despite being physically apart during lockdown, our communities can come together and celebrate in this safe and brave digital space created for them.

“In the lead-up to UK Black Pride’s 15th anniversary celebration, we will be showcasing the campaign through a digital out-of-home activation, fly posters and film content across social media, and the community is invited to engage with the campaign through a special Instagram filter.”

To find out more about this year’s UK Black Pride, please click here