There’s plenty to enjoy at UK Black Pride this weekend.
The award-winning annual celebration – which is Europe’s largest not-for-profit event for African, Arab, Asian and Caribbean-heritage LGBTQ people – returns to Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens on Sunday 8 July this year.
Announced today, the line-up of performers and speakers features a range of voices from the worlds of music, dance, art, politics and beyond.
“The line-up has been chosen not only because each performer is talented, inspiring and captivating, but also because each reveals to us who we can be,” explained Mwice-Margaret Kavindele, who leads the UK Black Pride entertainment team.
Headlining the festival are Jamaican singer Alicai Harley, who wants to “challenge the misconception” that Dancehall is homophobic, and rap artist Roxxxvn. They’ll be joined by some of the best talent the community has to offer, including poet Staceyann Chin and drag performance artist FKA.
As well as entertainment, there’ll also be speeches from the very people helping advance the Black LGBTQ movement, including the Labour Party’s Dawn Butler MP, and Jason Jones, who brought the legal challenge that forced Trinidad to decriminalise homosexuality.
“I am really confident that the line up we have assembled for UK Black Pride pulls together some incredible talent, some of which may be a new discovery for people,” said Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, executive director of UK Black pride.
“What I really hope is that people get chills listening to our speakers, hearing their story and identifying with their struggle. I hope people pound their feet on the ground, let out everything they’ve bottled up, and see the possibility and potential of our lives.”
Hosting during the festival will be UK Black Pride Directors Moud Gouba and Pav Akhtar; performer and trans activist Travis Alabanza; and writer, performer and educator Rikki Beadle-Blair.
You can see the full line-up, as well as a list of speakers who’ll be appearing on the day, below.
Main Stage
12:00 DJ Gen
12:45 DJ Kaspa
13:15 DJ G (Exilio)
13:45 DJ Kartel Brown
14:30 Hosts
14:45 Guest Speakers
15:00 DJ Kartel Brown / DJ Sensi
15:45 One Minute Silence and choir
15:50 Nawi Collective
16:00 DJ Traxx & Smoochie
16:45 King Dee
17:00 StaceyAnn Chin
17:10 FKA
17:15 BISHI
17:30 DJ Big John
18:00 Afro Swagg
18:10 Jessbelle Thunder
18:15 PJ Samuels
18:25 Saffron
18:30 Toya Delazy
18:45 Roxxxvn
19:10 Alicai Harley
19:30 Aaron Carty’s Beyonce Experience
19:50 UK Black Pride Team
20:00 DJ Biggy C
21:00 End
Speakers
Rt. Hon. Dawn Butler MP (Shadow Minister for Women & Equalities)
Ruth Hunt (Stonewall, Headline Sponsor)
Linda Riley (DIVA, Headline Sponsor)
Gizden Akdur (Istanbul Pride campaigners from the Kurdish, Turkish, Cypriot LGBTQ Group)
Jaevion Nelson (Jamaican Federation of Lesbians and Gays)
Jason Jones (Decriminalising Homosexuality in Trinidad campaign)
Reeta Loi & Deepak Kashyap (Gaysians)
Albert Kennedy Trust – Speaker
Lady Phyll & the UK Black Pride team
UK Black Pride 2018 will take place at Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, London, from 12noon to 9pm.
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