Why Pride Still Matters in 2026
This year's Pride season has felt both joyful and bittersweet.
Over the past month, I have had the privilege of attending a number of Pride events across London, each reminding me in different ways why Pride continues to matter. At a time when we are witnessing increasing rollbacks of LGBTQ+ rights around the world, it would be easy to focus only on the challenges. Yet what I continue to see, time and again, is something far more powerful. Our community has an extraordinary ability to create joy, hope and belonging, even during difficult moments.
That is one of our greatest strengths. We show up for one another. We celebrate one another. We create spaces where people feel seen, valued and loved. That spirit of solidarity is something I carry with me after every event I attend.
June began with an inspiring event hosted by University of the Arts London in collaboration with UK Black Pride, celebrating the power of representation through storytelling. It was a reminder that visibility is never simply about being seen. It is about ensuring future generations know they belong and that their stories matter always.
I then attended the City of London Corporation's City Pride Network event, hosted by Ali Najjar and Charlie Craggs, featuring an exceptional panel including Dame Kelly Holmes, Dr Lady Phyll and Simon Blake, CEO of Stonewall. Later that day we gathered at Guildhall for the annual Pride flag-raising ceremony hosted by Alderman Tim Hailes.
Despite the scorching London heat, nobody seemed in a hurry to leave. Conversations continued long after the formal programme had ended because there was a shared understanding of why we were there. Pride is about community. Pride is about visibility. Pride is about protecting one another, particularly our trans siblings who continue to face unprecedented levels of hostility and misinformation. Standing together has never felt more important.
In my role as a Trustee of UK Black Pride, I also had the honour of attending the Rainbow Honours Awards 2026. Events like these rarely make national headlines, yet they showcase some of the most inspiring work taking place across our communities. So many advocates, organisers and activists dedicate countless hours, often entirely voluntarily, to creating safer, fairer and more inclusive spaces.
Every award, every story and every conversation reminded me why I continue to give my own time alongside my professional work. Community work has never felt like an obligation. It is a privilege. It continually reminds me where my purpose lies.
I was also fortunate to attend the Mayor of London's Pride Reception, hosted by Sadiq Khan, representing UK Black Pride. One personal highlight was finally meeting one of my favourite LGBTQ+ content creators, Jay Beech, whose work has inspired countless people online. It was another reminder that storytelling, whether through film, social media, education or advocacy, has the power to change hearts and minds.
Alongside my day job in Higher Education, much of my personal time continues to be dedicated to LGBTQ+ advocacy. I believe we all have different ways of contributing to positive change. Mine has always been through creating conversations, building partnerships and helping challenge misinformation wherever I can.
The work certainly doesn't stop after Pride Month.
In August, we will be travelling to WorldPride Amsterdam and participating in the Human Rights Conference, where I will be joining an exciting panel discussion exploring 1946 and The Power of Narrative: Christian Faith and LGBTQIA+ Rights alongside Rev. Alexander Noordijk, Rev. Jide Macaulay, Rocky Roggio, Director of the documentary, and myself as Associate Producer. Stories shape belief. Belief shapes culture. Culture shapes people's lives.
Alongside the conference, we'll also be connecting with local activists and faith communities and hosting another screening of 1946 at a local church in Amsterdam. These opportunities to listen, learn and build international partnerships are becoming one of the most rewarding aspects of this work.
September brings another exciting chapter as we travel to South Africa.
We'll begin at the SASHA Conference 2026, where filmmaker Alecia du Toit has organised a private screening followed by a panel discussion. From there, we head to the University of Johannesburg, where, thanks to the incredible work of Dr Aimee Viljoen, we have secured a screening for more than 400 guests followed by panel discussions, workshops and Q&A sessions.
This marks the beginning of what we hope will become the first of many African Culture Shift Tours.
The vision behind the 1946 Impact Campaign has always been about far more than showing a film. It is about connection, conversation and collective healing. Around the world we continue to engage with communities, educators, faith leaders and activists to open hearts and minds through honest, compassionate dialogue.
For decades, mistranslations and misunderstandings of scripture have contributed to exclusion, discrimination and the weaponisation of faith against LGBTQ+ people. Through education, storytelling and respectful conversation, we hope to create space for people to ask questions, reflect and ultimately build greater understanding.
We have also just completed the first UK series of our 1946 Culture Shift Podcast, featuring remarkable guests from across the LGBTQ+ community. We'll return later this year with new stories, new conversations and, hopefully, even greater impact.
There remains an enormous amount of work ahead.
But alongside every difficult conversation is kindness.
Alongside every challenge is courage.
Alongside every setback is someone choosing to stand beside another person and say, "You belong."
That is what gives me hope.
As Nelson Mandela so wisely said:
"It always seems impossible until it's done."
Finally, Pride remains as necessary today as it has ever been.
Across Europe and beyond, Pride events are increasingly facing restrictions, political hostility and funding cuts. These are not simply attacks on LGBTQ+ communities. They are attacks on democracy itself. That is why I fully support the campaign by ILGA-Europe and the European Pride Organisers Association (EPOA) reminding us that protecting Pride means protecting democracy.
Pride is one of the most visible expressions of our democratic freedoms: the freedom to gather, to assemble peacefully, to protest and to exist openly. These freedoms should never be taken for granted.
When Pride is restricted, everyone should pay attention.
Because attacks on one community rarely stop there.
Pride has always been about more than celebration.
It is about visibility.
It is about justice.
It is about solidarity.
It is about hope.
And perhaps most importantly, it is about reminding one another that none of us walk this journey alone.
Happy Pride.
Let's continue showing up for each other, protecting one another and creating spaces where every person knows they belong.