| 2007 Black LGBT Awards Recipients |
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AdvocacyStop Murder Music Campaign
Arts Valerie Mason John aka Queenie
CommunicationsAndrew Prince – UK Blackout
Health PromotionAfrican HIV Policy Network
Community DevelopmentUK Black Pride
Club of the Year Queer Nation
Woman of the YearSandra Smart aka SoulSki
Man of the YearRev Rowland Jide Macaulay
Lifetime Achievement Award - Ted Brown Ted Brown is a hero and an inspiration to us all. He was present at London’s first Gay Pride marches, highlighting that Black people have been an integral part of the struggle for gay rights in the UK since day one. As an early member of the GLF (Gay Liberation Front) and communes from the 1970s onwards, Ted helped address and oppose much of the racism that exists in the wider white gay communities. Ted also fought against homophobia in Black communities. He championed the case against The Voice newspaper's homophobia until a satisfactory conclusion was reached whereby the paper apologised for and retracted its homophobic stance, giving a right of reply to Black LGBT activists – a real watershed in beginning change within Black communities. In the 80’s, Ted liaised with grass-roots groups in Britain and the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation in the US and sent a copy of the infamous "The Word" video of Buju Banton and Shabba Ranks to them, positively triggering the debate regarding homophobia in dancehall music internationally. As a result of appearing on "The Word", speaking out against homophobia Ted endured an assault on himself in his own home. Now a distinguished elder, and a key point of contact for researchers and journalists, Ted has maintained an active role in the Stop Murder Music Campaign and been a key part in its success. The work goes on for Ted; in February 2007 he spoke at the LGCM Faith, Homophobia and Human Rights Conference about the impact of homophobia on members of the Black community. |
The Stop Murder Music Campaign brought together activists worldwide in challenging homophobic lyrics which incite people to violence against LGBT people. Outrage! and BGMAG worked with other members of the campaign to put pressure of concert venues, recording artists, record companies and others to bring an end to the illegal incitement to violence that some artists were intent on maintaining. The Campaign reached an agreement in 2005 with the major Jamaican dancehall record companies which led to a suspension of the campaign. In 2006/7 it has been engaged in ongoing discussions with concert promoters and artists’ representatives to ensure that lesbian and gay people are protected from incitement to violence against them.
Valerie Mason-John Aka Queenie has worked as a writer throughout her whole professional career. She is a performance artist, poet, and playwright and winner of a Windrush Achievement Award in 2000. She was the Artistic Director of London Mardi Gras Arts Festival, and was the last promoter of the biggest women only night club at the notorious Fridge in London, and took over the Lesbian Beauty Contest from Amy Lame making it national in 1999. She was named one of Britain’s Black gay Icons and one of its new adventurous performers by the Black British national media.
Andrew is the self-effacing founder and editor of UKBlackOut.com the premier UK web-based portal on issues for the UK Black LGBT community. He is also co-founder and Director of Outburst UK which aims to raise the awareness of black LGBT people in the UK. He has had a long involvement with the community and this is reflected in the breadth and depth of the articles, networks and news on the UKBlackOut website. 
The AHPN is an alliance of African community-based organisations and their supporters working for fair policies for people living with HIV/AIDS in the UK, providing training, support, research and information. The AHPN is the only African organisation in the UK whose work is dedicated to policy, advocacy and representation at national level. Its major focus is on HIV and the sexual health of Africans in the UK.
Soulski strives to provide our community with a variety of platforms for self-expression and empowerment. She co-founded Tha Sistahood, dedicated to enhancing the black lesbian social experience. Tha Sistahood organises unique affairs and events for the professionally minded, as well as committing to increasing black lesbian representation at celebrations such as London Pride (2005) and Euro Pride (2006). 
Rev Rowland Jide Macaulay has been an influential supporter of the well-being of Black LGBT people for many years as volunteer coordinator of Big up and a Board member at GMFA and through his ministry at the Metropolitan community Church. In 2006 he took his involvement in the struggle for gay rights to new levels by establishing the House of Rainbow a church catering to the spiritual needs of Nigerian lesbian and gay people. His personal journey has been especially difficult given that his father is a founder of the Nigerian Bible College where Jide was schooled. His father is a supporter of draconian laws to penalize Nigerian gays and lesbians. In Jide’s words; "We are all God's children, no matter what some people tell us." 
