 Ajamu
Ajamu is an internationally acclaimed fine art photographer, community archivist and the co –founder of rukus! Federation- an arts company dedicated to celebrating and showcasing the best in challenging, provocative works by black Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans Artists nationally and internationally.
Ajamu is the currently the Archive Manager of the rukus! Black LGBT Archive, which seeks to collect, preserve, exhibit public, cultural, and artistic materials related to the Black Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans heritage, history and lived experience in the UK.
Ajamu has initiated various projects in 2008, including Outside Edge: A Journey through Black British Lesbian, and Gay History at the Museum in the Docklands, Glorious Outpourings at Brixton Library, and this year rukus! was awarded The Archives Landmark Award for In this Our Lives: The Reunion, which marked the 20th anniversary of the first and only national Black Gay Mens conference and he was this years creative director for Outburst UK. www.rukus.co.uk
 G Turawa (G)
Gamal Turawar was the Met’s first openly gay black officer. He now works as a diversity awareness officer with National Police Improvement Agency, training both new entrants and senior officers nationally and internationally, and working on programmes to develop greater understanding of diversity. G has had a great impact on the police service and is generous in giving his time and support to others. He is a patron of UK Black Pride and has served as a member of BGMAG. His bravery in coming out and overcoming the many challenges he has had to face in the police force and in his relationship with his family has been a source of inspiration for many people.
 Simon Nelson
Simon Nelson has been a leading light in the development of our community’s response to the HIV epidemic. Having started working as a volunteer at the HIV charity Terrence Higgins Trust in 1993, Simon became Black Gay Men’s Development Officer, and later National Sector Development Officer for BME Communities. He currently works for THT in Bristol, is a member of the local LGBT Forum which is undertaking a groundbreaking needs analysis for Bristol’s LGB BME community, and has been a member of the St Paul’s Carnival Committee. A serial innovator, he wrote Chatblack a booklet that explores much more than merely avoidance or treatment of sexually transmitted infections and HIV. As with Chatblack another resource he produced, Switch the Groove music CD, addresses issues like self-esteem and acceptance. In 2000, he helped organise Mr. Black Gay UK as part of Black History Month combining music that the mainstream gay scene rarely caters for, proving that health needn’t be boring.
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