Attending Black Pride 2025 as an ally
Bolt Burdon Kemp’s internal LGBTQIA+ and EDI networks, BBGay+ and BEqual, joined forces to attend UK Black Pride’s 20th anniversary celebrations.
Organisers said it was the “largest Black Pride in the world” as more than 25,000 people came together at London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on Sunday 10th August 2025.
The event celebrated diverse sexualities, gender identities, gender expressions and cultures of LGBTQIA+ people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Latin American and Middle Eastern descent. This year’s theme was ‘Becoming’, honouring the journey to get to the 20th anniversary, and looking ahead to the future of UK Black Pride. The organisers described the theme as “a love letter to our constant transformation as Black LGBTQ+ people and LGBTQ+ people of colour”.
Showing up with intention
Black Pride began in 2005, organised by Phyll Opoku-Gyimah (Lady Phyll) and other Black lesbian activists. The initiative focused on the Black queer community and aimed to highlight their unique experiences. The first event took place in Southend-on-Sea with 250 attendees and promoted the needs and challenges faced by Black queer individuals.
Through hard work and determination, Lady Phyll and her team addressed not only LGBTQIA+ issues but also the distinct challenges encountered by people of colour within these communities. This has been crucial in promoting social justice and combating discrimination on multiple fronts.
I am a Black ally who identifies as Black but not queer, and I serve as co-chair of BEqual, BBK’s internal EDI network. I’m also a member of BBGay+, our internal LGBTQIA+ network, so attending Black Pride was important to me. A small group from the BBGay+ and BEqual networks attended the event, and for me, it was essential to show up, listen, learn and support my peers and the LGBTQIA+ community.
I am truly honoured to work for a firm that supports movements like this, encouraging everyone to live free without judgment, to be the best version of ourselves.
We had the opportunity to browse the amazing Black-owned stalls, catch up with charities we currently support, including SurvivorsUK and Stonewall, and visit the Law Society stand, where our Managing Partner, Jonathan Wheeler, helped out throughout the day.
The event
You could feel the energy as soon as you entered through the gates. The buzz of the crowd, the sound of music filling the air, and the amazing aromas coming from the different food stalls. From jerk chicken to jollof rice, Mexican and South American dishes, the food smelled incredible! And of course, we just had to sample the wide variety of food on offer.
There were workshops which were both informative and thought-provoking, giving me a real insight into the everyday challenges faced by the Black LGBTQIA+ community. It was a powerful and eye-opening experience.
Allyship
Attending Black Pride was not only thought-provoking for me personally, but it provided me with the space to think about how we can continue to support, celebrate and amplify the voices of marginalised groups and the LGBTQIA+ community. It’s important to understand these communities aren’t always heard or seen, so raising your voice and supporting underrepresented groups is crucial, as it can encourage others to support.
Final thoughts
Having experienced the love and unity from everyone in attendance, it genuinely fills and uplifts me to know that BBK supports the rights and voices of people from ethnic minority backgrounds and the LGBTQIA+ community.
Through listening, learning, and advocating for equity and justice in every space, and by supporting our internal networks to grow and thrive, we’re able to back events like Black Pride and similar causes in a meaningful way.
If you’re thinking about going to Black Pride next year, I’d really encourage you to. Go with love, go with intention, and most importantly, go ready to listen. And if you work at BBK and want to get involved with our internal EDI or LGBTQI+ networks, reach out to the teams.
