We’re celebrating Pride Month

Every year in June, the world marks Pride Month. And over the next few weeks, Community Integrated Care will be recognising this special month right across our charity!

Pride is a celebration where people come together to mark how far LGBTQ+ rights have come, whilst also recognising the work still needed. Throughout June, we’ll be sharing different ways for our colleagues and the people we support to celebrate, get involved and show their support. See our Executive Team member, Candice York’s blog, penning her thoughts on Pride here.

Last year, not only did we mark the month, but June 2021 saw Community Integrated Care unveil its first-ever Diversity and Inclusion plan – ‘A Place I Belong’. Since the launch, our charity has been busy working towards its goals in the plan, including the recruitment of a brand-new post – a Wellbeing, Diversity and Inclusion Specialist.

To kick Pride Month off, we asked Anita Amurun, Community Integrated Care’s new Wellbeing, Diversity and Inclusion Specialist, to share her thoughts on some of the most inspiring people the LGBTQIA+ community! Read on to find out more.

Tanya Compas (pronouns: she/they)

Tanya is the award-winning CEO and Founder of @Exist Loudly CIC and Queer Black Christmas. @Exist Loudly is a safe, joyful and supportive space for Black LGBTQ+ youth in London. Exist Loudly offers an array of support and programming such as mentoring, workshops and fun outings for Black LGBTQ+ youth. The amazing ‘Queer Black Christmas’ offers a welcoming, loving and freeing space during the winter holidays for people experiencing homelessness or hostile home environments.  Tanya’s impressive career trajectory includes numerous years as a youth worker, consultant, motivational speaker and recently one of Adidas’ 8 changemakers inspiring the next generation. Thank you Tanya, for the outstanding work that you do.

Find out more

Khakan Qureshi BEM (pronouns: he/him)

Khakan is a phenomenal writer, speaker and the Founder of ‘Finding A Voice’ – Birmingham’s first voluntary-led, independent multi-faith South Asian LGBTQ+ social/support group. Khakan is an award-winning and pioneering LGBTQ+ activist and one of Stonewall’s Diversity Role Models and ‘School Role Models’. Khakan is currently working as a Senior Independent Living Officer, managing a team who supports young people experiencing homelessness. Thank you Khakan for your incredible and groundbreaking work!

Find out more

Christian Owens (pronouns: he/him)

 Christian is the trailblazing first serving officer to transition in Merseyside Police, speaker and award-winning Founder of @GenderSpace. Christian is a trans man and former police officer using his own lived experiences to educate, amplify voices, increase trans-visibility and raise awareness on salient issues that the transgender community faces.  Thank you Christian for all that you do.

Find out more

Anick Soni (pronouns: he/him)

Anick is an intersex human-rights activist, presenter, Olympic-torch bearer and and Co-Founder of InterconnectedUK. InterconnectedUK is truly dedicated to supporting people with intersex traits/variations of sex characteristics and their loved ones. Committed to improving the lives of others, Anick is a researcher interested in in children’s rights in the hospital context and how to support children and caregivers. Anick, you are a credit to society. Thank you for your exceptional work.

Find out more

Sarah Stephenson-Hunter (pronouns: she/her)

Sarah is the host of the ‘Simply Equality‘ podcast, staff Disability Advisor & Trans Lead at the University of Oxford; as well as the 2018 Stonewall LGBT+ Role Model. Sarah is a totally blind woman with a trans history, using her lived experiences and expansive skills to campaign, advocate and increase awareness of the issues that LGBTQIA+ people and people with disabilities face. Listen to the introductory episode of her podcast using the link below. Thank you Sarah for your brilliant work in supporting people with marginalised identities.

Find out more

Reverend Jide Macaulay (pronouns: he/him)

Reverend Jide is the founding pastor and CEO of House of Rainbow, an inspirational speaker, HIV activist and Board of Trustee at Kaleidoscope UK. Rev Jide is an openly gay ordained priest, providing safe and supportive spaces for people of faith within the LGBTQIA+ community. House of Rainbow also provides therapy and spiritual support, workshops, free consultations and support for asylum seekers, as well as a host of other initiatives. Thank you Reverend Jide for your incredible work supporting people in reconciling their intersecting identities. We deeply appreciate the work that you do to make the world a brighter and more inclusive place.

Find out more

Jonathan Blake

Jonathan is a LGBT+ rights activist and in 1982 was one of the first people in the United Kingdom diagnosed with HIV. As Jonathan was diagnosed in 1982, he is one of the country’s oldest surviving people with HIV. Jonathan lives an extraordinary and fulfilling life, having previously been a member of the ‘Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners’ and currently working with various organisations such as the Terrence Higgins Trust to dispel stigma, encourage testing and raise awareness. Jonathan features in the Sky Documentary Positive, exploring the experiences of those with HIV and preventative measures such as PrEP. Jonathan was also portrayed in the smash hit film ‘Pride’ by Dominic West. Thank you Jonathan for your transformative work.

Find out more

Yasmin Benoit (pronouns: she/her)

Yasmin is the award-winning activist, model, speaker and Founder of the UK’s first ever asexual rights initiative in partnership with Stonewall. Yasmin has used her platform and expertise to campaign, raise awareness and increase representation of asexuality – an orientation often misunderstood and unfairly dismissed. Yasmin also co-founded International Asexuality Day (6th April) and started the #WhatAsexualLooksLike movement. Watch Yasmin’s insightful and TEDx talk below. Thank you Yasmine for dispelling myths and educating us all on asexuality.

Find out more 

If you’re a Community Integrated Care colleague, and a member of any LGBTQ+ communities, and would like to be part of our charity’s Pride Month celebrations reach out to us at communications@c-i-c.co.uk