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Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Everything you need to know ahead of UK Black Pride 2025 and its 20th anniversary
This year is UK Black Pride's its 20th anniversary. We've pulled together all the information you need to celebrate in style at the huge event coming to London in August One of the UK's biggest Pride festivals is back again this summer, celebrating in style as it marks its 20th anniversary of creating one of Europe's largest celebrations of LGBTQIA+ people from African, Caribbean, Asian, Latin American, and Middle Eastern communities. The event was co-founded by activist Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, also known as Lady Phyll, way back in 2005. The event was originally envisioned to provide a safe space for and a positive community of black queer women. However, over the decades, it has grown in size and come to celebrate people from several other communities. Pride events have already been taking place in towns and cities around the country as London Pride headed to Trafalgar Square on July 5, and other events are just around the corner in Glasgow, Brighton, Manchester, and more. What is Black Pride? At the core of Black Pride is the foundation's motto: "Strength through unity." The event is all about celebrating diverse sexualities, gender identities, cultures, and backgrounds. This all comes together for a huge celebration every summer that has grown bigger and bigger to celebrate even more communities. The event will consist of live performances, talks, community stalls, workshops, and more, in an action-packed day of celebrations in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The group also aims to host social networking events to meet, socialise and support other members of the community. It also looks to raise awareness for the experiences of the UK's black LGBTQIA+ community and be an advocate for the people they represent. For more stories like this subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Weekly Gulp, for a curated roundup of trending stories, poignant interviews, and viral lifestyle picks from The Mirror's Audience U35 team delivered straight to your inbox. Why do we celebrate Black Pride? The group's mission statement says that they aim to "represent and celebrate Black LGBTQI+ and QTIPOC culture through education, the arts, cultural events and advocacy." The group adds: "Importantly, UK Black Pride promotes unity and cooperation among LGBTQI+ people of diasporic communities in the UK, as well as their friends and families." Drawing crowds of more than 20,000, the event focuses on not just LGBTQIA+ individuals but also the unique experiences that people of colour go through. Writing in the Gay Times in 2023, Timi Sotire described UK Black Pride as 'one of the few large-scale, central community spaces where multiple generations of queer people of colour come together, celebrate identities, and resist the oppressive forces sought to divide.' Where will UK Black Pride be? For 2025, this year's event will return to one of the celebration's biggest venues, being held in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford in London. It will take place on August 10 from 12pm until 9pm. For anyone looking to go, the event is free and doesn't require tickets, and for those wanting to support Black Pride, you can donate via their website. Co-founder Lady Phyll added: "It is with such joy that we can announce our return to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for the third year running. It is slowly becoming a great home for our event as we grow bigger and bigger. "As we reflect on previous years, we are planning to make this the biggest and the boldest UK Black Pride yet. We are working on the theme for this year and it is going to be a powerful one." Help us improve our content by completing the survey below. We'd love to hear from you!
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Fans Reassure Tia Mowry Of The Impact Her Representation Had, After She Revealed She "Didn't Feel Black Enough"
If you're a millennial like me, then there's a big chance Tia Mowry played a part in your childhood. From shows like Sister, Sister and The Game to movies like Seventeen Again and Twitches, she and her twin sister Tamera were everywhere. And if you knew them, then there's an even higher chance you knew their younger brother, Smart Guy's Tahj Mowry, as well. Nowadays, Tia is widely known for sharing bits and pieces of her personal life online and connecting with fans on a deep and fun level. So, over the weekend, she posted a vulnerable message to Instagram to celebrate Juneteenth, where she opened up about her experience as a mixed-race woman, and why she's proud to call herself Black. She wrote her reflections on her Notes app and accompanied them with photos of herself and her family. "There were moments I questioned where I belonged. Even as a mixed kid, I knew I was Black. But growing up, the world around me didn't always reflect that back to me. I had to go on a journey to fully understand who I was and what it meant to walk through this world as a Black woman." "As a kid, I noticed the difference. When I was with my mom, who's Black, she was treated with suspicion. Not receiving an application for our dream home. Questions in first class. But with my white dad, people were welcoming. That's when I realized how much the color of your skin shapes how the world treats you." Tia said it "took time" for her to find her "place" in the world. She felt like everyone was in a clique in school, whether they were separated by interests or by race. Although she didn't always know where she fit in, she did always know where she stood. "It made me want to be loud about my pride," Tia continued. "To be Black and proud. To celebrate where I come from. And to use my voice and platform to make sure my community is seen, heard, and celebrated." "Representation matters. I'll never forget the messages I got: 'I never saw someone who looked like me on TV until you.' Moments like that helped me fully land in who I am and who I stand for." The mother of two revealed she looked into her ancestry. While she already knew her grandmother came from Eleuthera, an island in the Bahamas, she would later learn that her family lineage traces all the way back to Ghana and Nigeria. Related: Shia LaBeouf Just Shared A Screenshot Of His Private Email Exchange With Timothée Chalamet, And It's Certainly Interesting "We were taken, displaced, and yet survived. There is strength in that. And I carry that strength with me every day." Motherhood has also given Tia a new perspective on Blackness and how she wants to teach her kids to be proud of who they are and where they come from. But it hasn't come without obstacles. "My children are already feeling the weight of the world. At five, my son was called a monkey. He was told his skin was 'ugly.' And that's why I speak up, so they know they are loved, valued, and protected." "Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom. But it's also a reminder that we're still pushing, still fighting, still rising. I carry that with me in my work, my purpose, and my motherhood." Related: This 17-Question IQ Test Will Reveal How Much Celebrity Knowledge You Have "I am Black. I am proud. I am loud with my love for this community. And I'll keep using my voice to create space for others to be proud too." What a beautiful message to commemorate the holiday and celebrate the culture. Fans absolutely loved it too: You can read her full post below: Also in Celebrity: Chrissy Teigen Posted The Results Of Her Hairline Lowering Surgery, And Ouch Also in Celebrity: 17 Weird Celebrity Red Carpet Moments That'll Make You Say "Wow, I Can't Believe That Actually Happened" Also in Celebrity: 22 Absolutely Bonkers Things I've Learned About Old Hollywood Celebs That Made My Jaw Hit The Floor
Boston Globe
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Embrace Boston Ideas Festival returns with focus on collaboration
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up According to Imari K. Paris Jeffries, Embrace Boston's president and CEO, this year's festival, its fourth, is occurring in a different context than previous iterations. 'Now we're in a context where the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities — that funding has been wiped out, and cultural organizations feel like they're under attack. Organizations that are both cultural and historic, and focus on diverse histories are threatened.' Advertisement All of which lends urgency to the festival's mission, he adds. 'I think this is a Juneteenth that is symbolic of the times. It reflects the type of rebellion and the type of joy required and necessary in this moment.' Advertisement Collaboration is another necessity, Paris Jeffries said, pointing to the joining efforts among the NAACP, Urban League, the Divine Nine Partnership, and other organizations to provide a citywide celebration of Juneteenth. Giselle Byrd, executive director of the Theater Offensive, will speak on the panel discussion titled 'Black Pride in Public Space.' 'It is not easy to live and be liberated in this world and in our lifetime,' she says. 'A lot of folks live at the margins of being Black and queer or Black and trans, and sometimes those conversations don't happen because historically there has been erasure. It's an honor to have this moment of fellowship.' For Byrd, who took over the helm at the Theater Offensive in December 2023, it's crucial to have these conversations both to build community ('it's really community who takes care of another,' she says) and to loudly proclaim one's pride — even, or especially, in a time of heightened oppression. 'None of us have the luxury of being silent,' she adds. 'Audre Lorde said it best to all of us, 'your silence will not protect you.'' Kate Tuttle, a freelance writer and critic, can be reached at
CBS News
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Black Pride Week pays homage to Black and queer people in Colorado
The month of June is celebrated as Pride Month, and in Denver, during the second week, Black Pride Week. This week is used to celebrate the accomplishments while remembering the struggles Black and queer people face every single day. Organizers of Black Pride Colorado say this is needed now more than ever before. "With all the things happening in our administration, in our world, and the targeting of certain groups, especially our LGBTQIA family, Pride just needs to happen." John Lambert-Roberts, drag artist, said. Black Pride Colorado Organizers of Black Pride Colorado say the world feels too separated. Pride should be used to keep everyone together. This Pride is different as it pays homage to Black and queer people through gospel brunches, galas and drag performances. The biggest thing to note, everyone is invited. "Black pride is for everyone," Lambert-Roberts said. "I know we say Black Pride, right? For the culture and all these things. I look at it as yes, we are opening space for and curating space for a certain group of people by making sure they feel safe, honored, and celebrated." Black Pride has become a staple in Colorado for the past five years. It continues to see success without ever receiving a grant. "I didn't think that we wouldn't be able to get grants, and then it still didn't happen," Lambert-Roberts said. "Then it's like 'OK. Cool! We got this!' We are going to breathe and work through this." Local LGBTQ+ businesses, ally establishments, and organizations give back to make Black Pride happen. This way every year, queer people can come to a safe space to be themselves, with their chosen family. "I am very aware of those of us that have come out and don't have family," Tara Jae, Director of YouthSeen and Black Pride Colorado, said. "This is the opportunity to have family and to be able to walk into a space, not only to see people who look like you, but they might not even know you, and they are excited to see you. That's what people need." Black Pride Colorado runs from June 8 through June 15. The list of events includes: Sunday, June 8: Gospel Brunch, 11:00 a.m. to 4 p.m., 1776 Champa St. 80202 Wednesday, June 11: ConscioUS Consumption at Cirrus Social Club, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., 3200 E Colfax Ave, 80206 Thursday, June 12: Happy Hour at MCA, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., 1485 Delgany St, 80202 Friday, June 13: Black Pride Gala at Denver Art Museum, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., 100 W 14th Ave Pkwy, 80204 Saturday, June 14: Zarah and the Chocolate Factory at X Bar, 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., 629 E Colfax Ave, 80203
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
DC prepares for summer filled with major events
WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — In the District, officials are planning for a summer full of major events. 'We are proud to be a city that brings people together, and when it comes to hosting major events, no one does it quite like Washington, DC,' said Mayor Muriel Bowser. The summer lineup includes events such as World Pride 2025 from May 17 to June 8. DC bars allowed to be open 24 hours for WorldPride, FIFA matches 'It's a time we all must remain visible, stand up, show up,' said Ryan Bos, Executive Director of the Capital Pride Alliance. Bos said the District has already held its Trans Pride and Black Pride events. This weekend will mark the welcome ceremony and concert at Nationals Park, featuring Shakira. Next weekend is the Pride Parade. 'World Pride and Pride in general is universal. It's about having a safe space regardless of how we identify. To be there and be our authentic self,' he said. Police Chief Pamela Smith said her team has been planning for World Pride for about a year. At this point, she said there is no known credible threat. 'MPD will have an increased presence citywide,' said the Chief. 'We will activate our specialized units, and we will supplement our department with officers from our neighboring jurisdictions. These officers will assist with crowd management, traffic control, and maintaining a strong public safety presence throughout the duration of the festivities.' Her team will continue to monitor intelligence and adjust as needed. WMATA is also making adjustments for World Pride. Metro will run until 2 a.m. June 6th through June 8th, with the yellow line extended to Greenbelt. Tap-to-go also launched this week, allowing customers to pay their fare by tapping their credit or debit card. Other major upcoming events include the annual Fourth of July celebration, the FIFA Club World Cup, and the 250th Army Parade, set for June 14th. 'The Army 250 and the display of equipment and history of the army may be pretty spectacular,' said Bowser. Bowser said planning information from the District is limited at this time, as the event is a designated National Special Security Event, meaning the US Secret Service takes the lead on planning security. However, she did note the NTSB alerted her and her team that there could be disruptions to the airspace that weekend. As with all major events, Bowser reminds people that if they see something, say something. 'Something that doesn't feel right, doesn't look right, doesn't sound right to you,' she said, For more information on World Pride, text DC World Pride to 888-777. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
