Fusion celebrated the stories of the LGBT Black, Asian and ethnic minority community with conversations with LGBT media professionals, interspersed with LGBT themed short films. Held on 19th October 2014 the event was hosted Queer Media and supported by UK Black Pride. The aim was to inspire positive BAME LGBT stories, role models and promote their visibility in the media as part of Black History Month.

FILMS : CONVERSATIONS : PERFORMANCES

Fusion asked can storytelling really empower people to create positive social change within their community?

About the team

The four hosts for Fusion were (clockwise from top left) Pink News political editor Scott Roberts, freelance sports journalist Jessica Creighton, Ash editor-in-chief and founder of website shorlgbtq.com, and poet, playwright and director Cheryl Martin.

The event was a chat show sofa style format inspired by TED talks, where the hosts introduced short films and interviewed the guests, who have diverse media backgrounds such as; film, TV, radio, news, arts, performance about their career and their intersectionality. Fusion followed the success earlier in 2014 of the Queer Media Festival held on 7th February 2014, on the day the Sochi Games opened at MediaCityUK.

Fusion guests included: Asif Quraishi (UK’s first Muslim drag queen), Eiynah (author of My Chacha is Gay) via Skype, Rudy Katochi (Multimedia journalist for Press Association), Bobby Tiwana (live event producer), Mike Buonaiuto (filmmaker), Aziz Rachid (Head of BBC North West), Phyll Opoku-Gyimah (Director & Co-Founder of UK Black Pride), Mobeen Azbar (journalist and film maker) and Rebecca Swarray (performer, singer and actor).

One thing I have learnt is that we all struggle- we all fail- we all succeed- these things are not as important as having the courage to stand up and try (again!). As long as we keep on trying, nothing is impossible. I feel that people are encouraged to give up more than they are to keep trying 🙂 We are all AMAZING!! – Ash, ShorLGBTQ.com

Fusion: One story at a time we are all changing the world and here are all five in-conversations for you to watch:

UK Black Pride co-founder Lady Phyll and Bobby Tiwana in-conversation with Cheryl and Ash

UK Black Pride co-founder Lady Phyll and Head of BBC North West Aziz Rashid in-conversation with Cheryl and Ash

Film director Mike Buonaiuto and Rudy Katoch a multimedia journalist in-conversation with Cheryl and Ash

Children’s book author My Chacha Is Gay and women’s rights campaigner Eiynah via Skype, alongside journalist and film maker Mobeen Azhar and the UK’s first Muslim drag queen Asif Quraishi in-conversation with Jessica Creighton and Scott Roberts.

Rebecca Swarray, performer, actor and singer, with a background teaching performing arts in-conversation with Jessica Creighton and Scott Roberts.