CEO MONTHLY / APRIL 2025 11 Altruistic Advocation: How Activist Lady Phyll Empowers Her Community Established in 2005, UK Black Pride began as a small gathering organised by Lady Phyll and other Black Lesbian activists. An arranged trip to Southend-on-Sea in 2004 for Black Lesbians quickly evolved into what is now known worldwide as UK Black Pride. After a successful inaugural event in Southend-on-Sea, UK Black Pride was officially launched the following year in 2006 and has since grown to become Europe’s largest celebration for LGBTQ+ people of African, Asian, Middle Eastern, Latin American, and Caribbean heritage. Motivated by the underrepresentation of Black LGBTQ+ individuals in mainstream Pride events, UK Black Pride strives to create a dedicated space for these communities to celebrate their identities and foster solidarity. The organisation takes an inclusive and intersectional approach, addressing not only LGBTQ+ issues but also the unique challenges faced by people of colour within these communities. Thanks to Lady Phyll’s leadership and advocacy, instrumental in promoting social justice and fighting discrimination, UK Black Pride stands today as a movement advocating for the rights and dignity of Black LGBTQ+ individuals worldwide. Lady Phyll is a political activist renowned for her inspirational work advocating for racial, gender, and LGBTQ+ equality. Attending school in Lea Valley, Lady Phyll first became politically active at the age of 11, upon the realisation that her experiences in this world were to be different than those of her Caucasian schoolfriends. Throughout school, Lady Phyll was inquisitive about her education, often kicked out of classrooms for raising valid concerns about her curriculum’s direction – why the students were only taught about the Battle of Hastings or Henry VIII’s wives, and not about slavery and the history of Africa and Asia. Having led a career deeply rooted in political and social justice, Lady Phyll entered the workforce as a Civil Servant for the Department of Works and Pensions and also Fraud Investigation Service. In 2008, she took on the position of Head of Political Campaigns and Equality for the Public and Commercial Service Union, the largest Civil Service Trade Union. Alongside leading UK Black Pride, Lady Phyll also served as Executive Director of Kaleidoscope Trust from 2019 to 2024, working to uphold the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people on an international scale. Today, Lady Phyll is well-known throughout the UK for her activism on race, gender, and LGBTQ+ rights and is considered to be one of the country’s most prominent lesbian activists. She leads UK Black Pride with a commitment to equality and justice, working collectively to make the public understand the varied issues facing underrepresented communities. For over two decades, Lady Phyll has been relentless in her mission to create a close-knit family through UK Black Pride, ensuring that everybody in her community feels pride of place, and nobody feels left out or isolated on their journey to equality. Through the extensive efforts of Lady Phyll and the team behind UK Black Pride, there now exists a safe space for LGBTQ+ individuals of African, Asian, Middle Eastern, Latin American, and Caribbean heritage. Too often, members of these communities are fighting their battles alone and are being challenged in ways that are impacting their mental health and wellbeing. The remarkable work conducted by Lady Phyll and her peers has shown these individuals that they do belong, opening up space for dialogue and progression to take place, with the aim of working towards a safer and more inclusive future. Moving forward, UK Black Pride is focused on advancing growth and development, while championing the rights of the Black LGBTQ+ community. Under the expert leadership of Lady Feb25177 UK Black Pride is the world’s largest celebration for LGBTQ+ people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Latin American, and Midden Eastern descent. The organisation is responsible for a spectacular annual celebration during pride month, alongside a number of activities around the UK throughout the year, designed to promote and advocate for the spiritual, emotional, and intellectual health and wellbeing of its represented communities. Today, we celebrate Phyll Opoku-Gyimah (Lady Phyll) – political activist, Co-Founder, and Chief Executive of UK Black Pride, as she features in the Most Influential CEO Awards 2025. Phyll, the organisation remains dedicated to hosting its inclusive annual festival, fostering social connections, supporting community outreach initiatives, advocating for awareness and representation, and celebrating community achievements throughout 2025. With Lady Phyll at its helm, recognised as the Most Influential CEO for LGBTQI Advocacy in the UK, we at CEO Monthly magazine have no doubts that UK Black Pride will continue to reshape the UK’s LGBTQ+ landscape for the better, positively impacting lives and creating inclusive spaces for all. Contact: Phyll Opoku-Gyimah Company: UK Black Pride Web Address: www.ukblackpride.org.uk
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