2025 Speakers & Moderators

Aubrey Smalls is a Black queer disability advocate and filmmaker with dwarfism.
 
He uses his platform to advocate for the dwarfism community with a focus on education, including running an account dedicated to dwarfism history, spreading information about both historical oppression of and violence toward little people, and uplifting positive figures and moments for people with dwarfism. Smalls is also producing and directing a documentary comedy film about dwarfism, the effects of disability hate groups, and finding your freedom.
 
Smalls has dedicated his creative work to uplifting the stories of people with dwarfism, both in the past and the present.

Kym is a Thinker, Public Speaker, published Writer, Guest Lecturer, Creative, PhD Researcher and Consultant, with an international, diverse list of credits including Google, UNFPA, University of Oxford and NASA.
 
Kym is passionate about psychosocial approaches to understanding the cultural harmonies and dissonances within marginalised communities, and holds a related Masters Degree.
 
They Co-Founded The Triple Cripples - a platform dedicated to Disabled Women, and Gender Expansive people; and the intracommunal healing project, Our Living Archives. Kym, a board member for the Black Feminist Fund, strongly believes that funding grassroots feminist movements and Black Disabled feminist researchers ‘like we want them to win’ will pave the way toward loving Black Feminist Futures. (Photo credit: @art_n_lens)

Laks Mann MBE is a dynamic Creative Strategist, award-winning DEI expert, and an accomplished public speaker. He is particularly recognised for his ground-breaking contributions to LGBTQ+ advocacy and community integration. Laks has enjoyed a stellar career across the corporate, charitable, and public sectors. Most notably, Laks became the UK’s first openly gay South Asian and Sikh police officer, breaking barriers and championing inclusivity within law enforcement.

Laks is a Winner in the UK's Top 100 Influential People 2025. He was awarded an MBE in 2024 for services to charity, integration, and LGBTQ+ communities, and was also named LGBT+ Trailblazer 2024 at the British LGBTQIA+ Awards. Other accolades include being listed in the Diversity Power List 2022/23 and winning LGBT+ Positive Role Model 2020 at the National Diversity Awards. He is a Mayor of London appointed EDI Advisor, a Trustee for South Asian Heritage Month and caba, and the Founder of Gaysians UK.

Aderonke Apata is a Multi-Award-Winning Human Rights Activist. Barrister (Unregistered) with a Master of Laws and an ADR ODR International Accredited Mediator: Civil/Commercial. She’s a feminist, an advocate and campaigner for LGBTIQ+ people seeking asylum.

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Aderonke founded the African Rainbow Family in 2014 amidst her thirteen-year journey to being granted asylum in the UK. Fleeing Nigeria in 2004 after being sentenced to death for being a lesbian, Aderonke fought hard to be granted her freedom and for other people. Alongside running African Rainbow Family, she achieved her Bar Professional Training Course and Master of Laws in 2021 and in October 2022, was Called to the Bar of England and Wales as a qualified Barrister. 

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Aderonke is an inspirational speaker, passionate about delivering various charity management, EDI, and LGBTIQ+ asylum process training. She also coauthored a Research Handbook on Asylum and Refugee Policy:  Held, N. and Apata, A., ‘Intersections of gender, sexuality and “race” in queer asylum claims‘, in Jane Freedman and Glenda Santana de Andrade (eds.), Research Handbook on Asylum and Refugee Policy, Elgar, pp. 239-250 (Chapter 15)

Actress, singer, cabaret performer, a show business professional working in theatres, movies, TV, fashion and more. She is the founder of Mzz Kimberley’s LIFE, a trans, non-binary and intersex led production company highlighting and celebrating our trans community.  She's an equal rights campaigner and LGBTQ+ disability inclusion advocate.
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She's said that becoming an Ambassador to ParaPride was a huge honour. She first got involved with ParaPride after seeing a post on Facebook that she shared because she believes that all marginalised communities should support each other.  She believes that we live in a society that isn’t structured for all and that we don’t fit into the social construct, yet we are led to believe that we should. She says "There is a constant battle for all marginalised communities, daily. We think that we all know each other but we don’t."
 
"This is why it’s important that society steps out of its comfort zone and speaks to someone from a different race, sexual orientation, disability, religion etc. You just might find we actually have a lot more in common than you think.  We don’t have to like each other but we should learn to respect each other so we all can evolve in life for a better future. We must remember the world isn’t gonna stop for anyone. And no one deserves to suffer because they don’t fit into one main narrative."

Mx. Adam Khan (xe/they) is an award-winning changemaker and activist. They spearhead the Trans Pride movement and have engineered systemic change worldwide.
 
They face multiple marginalisations, which inform their work with communities. 

Georgie Williams is a professional gender and sexuality consultant and a graduate of the MSc Gender programme at the London School of Economics and Political Science.   They specialise in Transgender, Genderqueer, Nonbinary and Intersex research and education and founded the /Queer project in 2018.
 
Having deferred their doctoral position (secured at University College Dublin) in 2019, they decided to commit themselves to producing free, accessible educational materials around the subject of gender, sex and sexuality. These materials are produced through interdisciplinary, intersectional and intentionally decolonial lenses.
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Georgie identifies specifically as genderqueer and as pansexual, but aligns above all else with the word they use the most; Queer.

Emma Prach is a Scottish creative, campaigner and mental health advocate. They are the founder and CEO of Project Sonrisa, a grassroots charity established during the COVID-19 pandemic to address mental health stigma through the power of the creative arts.

Their award-winning documentary Our Minds takes an intersectional approach and delves into underrepresented mental health topics, including LGBTQ+ experiences, religion, and rural deprivation.

Emma is the current Chair of the Scottish Queer International Film Festival (SQIFF), Scotland's only dedicated LGBTQIA+ film festival. Previously, Emma held roles as a Trustee and Member of the Scottish Youth Parliament contributing to campaigns on digital accessibility, environmental issues, and mental health awareness.

They also have experience advocating for individuals with endometriosis and promoting inclusive sexual health education.

I joined ParaPride as a Trustee in September 2024, bringing 20 years of experience within the Financial Services industry as an internal auditor and risk professional. I am able to lend ParaPride my experience helping businesses identify key risks across an organisation and help senior leaders develop mitigation plans, along with advising them how to enhance key processes and control activities. As ParaPride looks to further develop as an organisation and grow to better serve the LGBTQ+ disabled community. 

Along with my years of professional experience, I also bring a significant passion for our LGBTQ+ community. Throughout my career, I have been integral with establishing, leading and being a member of various LGBTQ+ employee resource groups (ERG). I've immersed myself in various Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiatives at my current organisation, along with acting as one of the Co-Chairs for the L&GBT+ Allies Network and hosting various impactful events. 

As a Black-Colombian Gay American, intersectionality is at the heart of everything I do within our community and the work I’ve done with my ERGs. And I look forward to bring the same passion and objective within ParaPride to help raise awareness and education on the intersectionality of the LGBTQ+ disabled community. 

Once voted “most likely to start the revolution” Rick Dove is a progressive poet from Southwest London.  Rick is a queer, disabled, and neurodivergent writer and activist.

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Arriving on the spoken word scene in 2015, Rick has performed across the UK and internationally, with performance credits including The Wandsworth Arts Fringe, the Edinburgh Fringe, and Shambala Festival.

Widely anthologised since 2016, Rick has brought his signature blend of lyrical storytelling to stages across the UK and internationally.

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Dubbed one to watch by TS Eliot Prize winner Roger Robinson, Rick has published two collections with Burning Eye Books, Tales From the Other Box (August 2020), and Supervillain Origin Story (Coming May 2023), and was crowned the Hammer & Tongue UK Poetry Slam Champion at the Royal Albert Hall in July 2021.

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Equally at home on a stage, a page, or on a march, Rick has a vision of a fairer world and he wants to take you with him.

Leng Montgomery is a passionate LGBT inclusion and trans specialist who actively engages and consults within the public and private sector. He is an advocate of LGBT issues and has written policy and delivered keynote speeches across the globe.

He has most recently been Senior Manager, Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Burberry.  He is also a Non-Executive Director of Outvertising, an Advisory Board Member of IMPROPER (a majority queer, women-led creative agency).  

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Leng has also served as a Senior D&I consultant and advisor for a range of companies, including ASOS, BDO UK LLP, Cushman & Wakefield, and Sainsburys.

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In his various roles, he has also supported the wider diversity and inclusion team on disability, carers and BAME activity.

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Earlier in his career, he worked at Stonewall, where he was involved in the Workplace Equality Index and the trans inclusion guides launched in 2016; and has a background in social media and PR.

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In 2014, he was the first openly trans contestant on BBC’s MasterChef and, for two years running in 2014 and 2015, he was listed on the Independent’s Rainbow List in the ‘Ones to Watch’ category. 

Hafsa Qureshi (any pronouns) is an openly bisexual and genderqueer Muslim from Birmingham (UK). They are a multi-award winning LGBTQ+ activist, writer and public speaker.

His work has been featured in: VICE, Sky News, Channel 4, Metro, BBC News, Pink News and more. They have worked with numerous public, private and third sector organisations across their career.

Hafsa currently works with LGBTQ+ charities within the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) sector.

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​‘I speak on topics such as race, disability, queerness and marginalisation. People like me are your family, friends, your work colleagues. We’re an entire community, still being told that we don’t exist. I’m living proof that we do, and our voices should be heard.’

Founder and Community Engagement Director, ParaPride

Daniele is a disabled gay man living in London. He's originally from Italy and my ethnic background is from Eritrea. He is a proud person of colour. His disability is physical and visible, he is a double lower leg amputee and walks on prosthetic legs.  He's  part-time wheelchair user. He's been an amputee since 2016 after having meningitis and septicaemia. This life changing event came with many challenges but it also made him shift focus on the more important things in life, such as creating positive social impact through my lived experiences of being disabled and LGBTQ+.
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Once he became disabled, he knew it was going to be a very challenging experience but he was determined to feel empowered by my difference.
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Throughout his journey as a disabled person, he realised there was a very evident need to address the lack of inclusion for disabled people within the LGBTQ+ community, a need for more accessible LGBTQ spaces, and a need to promote body positivity and being able to celebrate that. That is what motivated him to co-found ParaPride.

Lukasz Konieczka, has nearly 20 years of experience champioining the rights of the young LGBT+ community.  His diverse background in social work, social psychology, and youth work fuels his passion for social pedagogy, equality, diversity, and inclusion.

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Last year, Lukasz graduated with a Master’s degree in ethics, diversity, and inclusion from Rome Business School and shares his insights as a guest lecturer at esteemed institutions like Imperial, King’s College London, and Goldsmiths.  He also consults on equality and inclusion for larger organisations like the NHS.

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As a co-founder and executive director of the Mosaic LGBT+ Young Persons’ Trust and Chair of the Board for the Greater London Youth Foundation, he is unwavering in his commitment to social justice.

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Mosaic is now the biggest LGBT+ young person’s organisation in London delivering outstanding services to young LGBT+ community that aim to support, educate and inspire young persons and those around them. Mosaic Trust won Ben Cohen’s Stand-Up Foundation Charity of the Year 2019 Award as well as ‘Future Activists’ Award from Pride in London.
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Mosaic Trusts provides accessible activities, programmes and services that aim to empower community members, provide essential resources, advocate for young LGBT+ rights, and embrace, promote and endorse the diversity of young persons.

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In his spare time, Lukasz volunteers with Refugees at Home and delves into poetry and philosophy. 

Katie has been Chairperson and Treasurer of ParaPride since 2021. 
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Katie is neurodivergent and has other long term health conditions.  She is also part of the LGBTQIA+ community and sits on the boards of two other charities - ADHD Aware and Autistica. 
 
Katie has led Employee Resource Groups in several organisations to help raise awareness and drive inclusion within employment environments.   She is a senior executive in technology, and is a strong advocate for diversity, focused on improving access and acceptance wherever she can - including in industry and in communities.

Esi is a trainer, disability inclusion expert, public speaker, podcaster and writer.
 
She is the Founder, Owner and Managing Director of Celebrating Disability, a user-led organisation (ULO).  The business provides tailored, tangible support for workplaces to develop their disability-inclusive culture.  Esi believes that organisations of all structures and sizes have an opportunity to create inclusive cultures that enable disabled employees and customers to feel included and valued.  By delivering training sessions, talks and consulting with organisations, this goal is made realistic.
 
As part of her work to advocate and champion equality for disabled people, Esi is a keynote speaker.  Speaking at conferences and away days on the subject of disability inclusion and equality in every cornerstone of life.  

Vice President of Strategic Change - RS Group PLC | Deputy CEO - Trans in the City | Chair - QuinsPride | Global LGBT speaker and educator

Emily has a track record of success in Retail, Policing, Health, Business Process Outsourcing, Marketing and Creative Production and Industrial Distribution.  She is also a prominent figure in LGBTQIA+ community:

- Named at #3 on the 2021 OUTStanding Top 100 LGBT+ Executives List
- Named at #13 in the 2022 OUTStanding Top 100 LGBT+ Executives List
- Named in the 2023 OUTStanding Top 100 LGBT+ Executives List
- Top 10 Inspirational Role Model - British LGBT Awards 2022
- Winner 2023 Bank of London Rainbow Honours - Corporate LGBTQIA Champion
- Diva Power List 2023
- Winner of Founders' Choice Award for Excellence in Mental Health - This Can Happen Awards 2022
- Shortlisted for Diversity Champion award British Diversity Awards 2023

She is also a contributing editor and reviewer of professional publications on Risk.

Saba is a queer South Asian woman with hidden disabilities, whose lived experience is childhood trauma growing up in a conservative household. This has led to her expertise in talking about cultural abuse and intersectionality – how to build trust with marginalised communities and recognise intricate nuances.

She is a trustee for Building Bridges for Peace and Community Ambassador for The Vavengers who work to end FGM and other forms of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).

A Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and Diana Award Mentor, Saba is also the Safety and Met Liaison Manager for UK Black Pride – Europe’s largest Black and POC LGBT+ pride event. The main purpose of her work is to help build trust with both women/people of colour and the LGBT+ community between the police.

Shani partners with leaders and organisations to develop and implement strategies that integrate inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility across their operations.

Shani's expertise has a significant global impact, shaping workplace culture, customer experiences and influencing product and service design; she's impacted over 1.5 million employees worldwide.

Beyond consulting, she's a TV and radio broadcaster, keynote speaker, social entrepreneur, and author. 
 
She has:
- Been recognised as the UK's most influential disabled person by the Shaw Trust and the BBC's 100 Women Laureate of 2020
- Hosted BBC Asian Network Motivation and appearing on various daytime TV shows
- Spoken at over 300 conferences and events, including the United Nations, World Expos, and TEDx
- recently returned from my international book tour promoting "No Horn Unicorn", a children's educational book

As British Vogue puts it, "Shani Dhanda doesn't do idle. She's a multi-hyphenate, always on the move, motivating, and solving problems."

Eva is an activist, writer and public speaker with a focus on transgender rights and mental health.  She uses her own experiences to shed light on what it is to be transgender and to challenge the obstacles which gender diverse people face within today’s society.
 
Most notably, she took legal action against NHS England in the High Court to challenge the unlawful waiting times for trans patients.  She won the DIVA Award for Unsung Hero of the Year 2022 and was named on the DIVA Power List. More recently, she won Trans In The City's Trans Community Champion award for 2022.
 
She also founded the #PassItOn campaign, which created discussion around trans and non-binary image standards, in addition to better representation of trans and non-binary body types in the media.  Her message is simple: be your own kind of beautiful.

As a proud trans woman, her story and work have been featured at both national and international level, with appearances in publications such as Metro, Refinery29, Boots Health & Beauty, Cosmopolitan, Pride Life and iNews, in addition to appearances on ITV, Channel 4.  She also speaks regularly within employers and other organisations.

Faryal is a screenwriter as well as a content creator, project consultant and training facilitator. Driven by her passion for disability justice she has over twenty years’ experience in the DDPO and wider Not-for-Profit sectors.
 
For a decade, she served as the CEO of Transport for All.  ​Faryal has also produced promotional and training videos for charities and transport providers including Birthrights, GTR railways, TfL, and the British Film Institute.
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As a screenwriter, Faryal is a member of BAFTA and is currently developing a slate of exciting film and TV projects in the UK and US. She thrives on a positive ‘can do’ attitude and as a successful track record of delivering high impact work on a limited budget.
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Faryal is constantly inspired by the multi-cultural tapestry of London life. As a dyslexic British Pakistani woman, she brings intersectional knowledge and experience to all areas of her work and practice.

Rahim is a gay Moroccan living in the UK (currently seeking asylum) and is LGBTIQ+ and an HIV/AIDS activist.

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Rahim was also co-host of the podcast "Queerness and all that Sh*t" - a weekly podcast from the perspective of two queer North Africans (Egypt and Morocco), where they talked about growing up gay in the MENA region, body image, toxic masculinity, and other queer subjects.

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Rahim also works as a theatre actor and has written plays, including The Love Thief.

Olivia is an undergraduate Human Rights Lawyer and access to justice activist. Her areas of special interest in equality and human rights law, public law, actions against the police & public international law.

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Olivia Campbell-Cavendish Legal Services provides a range of innovative access to justice solutions tailored to the needs of specific communities.

We believe in access to justice as a force for social change and operate a number of thriving pro-bono advocacy clinics wherein specially trained caseworkers directly undertake casework on behalf of clients who would otherwise have limited access to legal resources.  

The individual most linked to Kinky Gerlinky (a nightclub which from 1989 to 1994, defined London nightlife), aside from the Costiffs, Winn Austin was host and MC for its famous parties.

A transgender model from Guyana, Winn has worked with numerous fashion designers including Pam Hogg and Rifat Ozbek. She acted in Todd Haynes’s Velvet Goldmine (1998), featured in Claire Lawrie’s 2018 documentary Beyond “There’s always a black issue Dear”, has styled numerous Bollywood film productions, and volunteers for the Stonewall housing charity in London.

In 2021, she launched Ms A with designer Bok Goodall, a lingerie and swimwear line for transgender women.

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She is one of the stars of "Beyond 'There's Always a Black Issue, Dear'" and she is Co-Founder of My Size, a lingerie brand for trans feminine and gender non-conforming people.