Phyll Opoku-Gyimah is a political activist who is renowned for her work for racial, gender and LGBTQ+ equality and is the co-founder of Black Pride and Executive Director of Kaleidoscope Trust. Also known widely as Lady Phyll, she is a Diva magazine columnist, the leading magazine for LGBTQI women and non-binary people.
Phyll started her career as a civil servant working for DWP as well as the Fraud Investigation Service where she spent almost 13 years as an Executive Officer. She also worked at the Public and Commercial Services Trade Union where she had several roles progressing to Head of Political Campaigns and Equality. In 2005 she co-founded and became the Executive Director of Black Pride, Europe’s largest celebration for LGBTQI+ people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Latin American, and Middle Eastern descent. It aims to provide a safe space to celebrate diverse sexualities, gender identities, cultures, gender expressions and backgrounds. She has also previously sat on the TUC race relations committee.
Opoku-Gyimah is currently an Executive Director of Kaleidoscope Trust, a UK-based charity focusing on creating a world where LGBT+ people are free, safe and equal all over the world. Phyll has been recognised for her work for the community on multiple occasions. She was named on the World Pride Power List and named in the Top 100 Most Influential LGBT People on the Independent Rainbow List. In 2016 Lady Phyll made a powerful statement when she publicly rejected an MBE. She realises that it is a huge achievement to be recognised by the queen but due to her views on the Empire and its colonialism she decided not to accept the honour. Previously a Stonewall trustee before they partnered with Black Pride, she was awarded Grand Marshall of New York Pride in 2019 on the 50th anniversary since the Stonewall riots took place. In 2020, Phyll Opoku-Gyimah was named in the list of 100 Great Black Britons which celebrates the lives and contributions of black British people to society.
Phyll Opoku-Gyimah is a significantly influential figure following the impacts she has made. Lady Phyll is now available to book for events through Champions Speakers. Contact us today!
Books
Sista!
How to hire Phyll Opoku-Gyimah
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Phyll Opoku-Gyimah for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do not accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
Phyll is known to speak on the following topics:
- LGBTIQ
- Inclusion
- Communities
- Black Lives Matter
- Intersectionality
Official Feedback from In-Person and Virtual Events
"Lady Phyll was fabulous. Truly eloquent... I loved Lady Phyll's wonderful engagement and heartfelt advice for all of us" - Daniel, Country Manager for Italy & Turkiye, The Walt Disney Company
"Various attendees - 'Amazing activist', 'Best part of the day', 'Lady Phyll is just awesome, the most insightful presenter', 'An excellent speaker', 'ICONIC', 'Outstanding!', 'Amazing time!', 'She is so cool', 'What an inspiring personality! Happy to have had her with us!', 'Best conversation! Great guest with strong statements & ask', 'Really appreciated her as a speaker', 'Really fun, interesting and engaging person', 'Thanks for inviting Phyll - particularly interesting and enjoyable session', 'Interesting chat and great speaker', 'Wonderful to hear from a black queer woman and the inroads she is making for the community', 'What a star! Easily a highlight', 'SHE WAS AMAZING', 'Amazing guest', 'What an inspiring person', 'Great speaker' and 'This was magnificent'." - Boston Consulting Group
"Thanks so much for all your help in bringing Lady Phyll to speak to Jazz on Thursday. It was an amazing presentation; we've had so much positive and reflective feedback from people about the session and how inspirational Lady Phyll is!" - Jazz Pharmaceuticals
"Phyll is a brilliant and exceptional human rights advocate and is an expert in LGBT+ human rights, intersectionality, race and workers rights and a whole lot more" - Louise, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Advisor, Barnardo's
"Phyll is a tour de force. A woman who vibrated with influence and uses it wisely. She creates exceptionally functional teams, nurtures everyone who works with or for her and continually inspires those around her to be the best they can be. She leads by example, is authentic, emotionally and intellectually intelligent, kind and creative. I hope I get to work with Phyll for a very long time" - Julie, Founder & MD, The Fundraisers
"Phyll is an intelligent campaigner - UK Black Pride is now one of the premier events in the LGBT calendar but it started from humble beginnings with few resources - it has become what it has today thanks to Phyll's dedication and vision. She is the ultimate team player!" - Denis
"It was a real privilege to meet and interview Lady Phyll at our bp offices in Sunbury. As executive director of Kaleidoscope Trust and co-founder and director of UK Black Pride, she shared her lived experiences on the intersectionality between ethnicity, sexuality and social mobility, as well as some fantastic insights into equity and active allyship." - Rza, BP
"It was great thanks. She is an inspiring speaker/role model." - Wes, Natixis
"Lady Phyll was absolutely amazing! The event went really well. SO much inspiration and wisdom from her!" - Rza, BP
"A huge thanks to Lady Phyll for the event. It was fantastically well received and we absolutely loved it, so a huge thank you." - Nomura
- 2019 - Executive Director of the Kaleidoscope Trust
- 2016 - Offered an MBE
- 2015 - Judge of the Independent Rainbow List
- 2008 - Head of Political Campaigns & Equality for Public and Commercial Services Union
- 2005 - Co-Founder & Executive Director of UK Black Pride
- 1995 - Executive Officer & Civil Servant of the UK Government Department for Work & Pensions
- LinkedIn ChangeMaker
- Named on the Independent Rainbow List as one of the Top 100 Most Influential LGBT People
- Named on the World Pride Power List
