This weekend the Black LGBTQ+ community and their allies will come together to honour Black Pride in person for the first time in two years – and we are so ready for it.
The official UK Black Pride event is the biggest Pride celebration for LGBTQ+ people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Latin American and Middle Eastern-descent across the whole of Europe.
For the community, Black Pride is an opportunity to celebrate the intersections of being Black and queer. It’s also a moment to remember that Pride started (and remains) as a protest.
“LGBTQI+ people across the country are experiencing rises in hate crimes, our trans siblings are under constant attack and racism is as virulent and persistent as it ever was,” the co-founder and CEO of UK Black Pride Dr Lady Phyll says.
“UK Black Pride thanks those who won’t let up, won’t shut up and won’t let anybody forget that structural discrimination and an obscene lack of care stand in the way of LGBTQI+ people who are poor, Black, trans, disabled, asylum-seeking, homeless and those who cannot advocate on their own behalf.
“And we thank and admire those who – confronted with the worst of society – continue to be unapologetic in their self-expression and unwavering in their celebration and support of those who refuse to wedge themselves into boxes that were never generous enough for them in the first place.”
The theme of Black Pride 2022 is Power and this year’s event is set to be pretty epic, taking place at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London 10 years after the Olympic and Paralympic Games were held in the very same spot.
Ahead of the big day, we asked some Black queer people to share their favourite pictures from past years and tell us why they love the event so much.
‘Complete freedom’
“Black Pride to me means complete freedom,” says Rachel Ayeh-Datey, who’s 26 and based in London. “Being around my community in a completely safe space is the epitome of freedom to me.”
‘Black Pride is lit’
“Black Pride is so crucial for community building,” says Rore Erica Okoh, a 26-year-old product marketing manager from London. “Without the community, I wouldn’t have the support system to be my truest self. Plus Black Pride is lit.”
’It’s special to us′
“Black Pride is special to us because parts of the community can feel quite fragmented,” say Michaela Lawson and Nabilla Doma, both 27 from London in a joint message. “Our events can feel very party like orientated so I think its a great base for people come together once a year.”
Hopefully these stories have got you in the mood to celebrate (and protest) in style this weekend.
And because we can’t get enough, here are some other photos from the archives of previous years that perfectly sum up why we love Black Pride.