UNSUNG
HERO
of the year
in partnership with
FINALISTS
The young LGBTQ+ person whose tireless work and efforts to support the LGBTQ+ community and/or other young people may have gone unnoticed.
listed alphabetically
(by first name)
LEWIS WARNER
Lewis (he/him) has been involved in the youth and student wings of the Labour Party working to ensure that better representation is given to BAME, working class and Queer students. The opportunity to represent not only students of colour, but to also represent Queer students of colour is an honour for Lewis, and a responsibility he takes seriously having used his previous position as chair of the Young Fabians LGBTQIA+ Network, to communicate with members of the Parliament and the House of Lords the importance of not only advocating for trans rights, but also the inclusion of trans voices as we do so. Last October, he hosted a panel alongside some incredible Queer BAME activists for Black History Month at KCL, and found the experience both educational and affirming noting the unique difficulties of being Queer people of colour, recognising that there is so much more work that needs to be done - something that continues to drive him.
LUNA MIDDLETON-ROY
Luna (she/they) has been shortlisted for their work advocating for the LGBTQ+ community at Van Mildert College, which includes their current role as director of the Queer Awareness Project, where in addition to developing a comprehensive training plan for volunteers to ensure they felt confident in LGBTQ+ specific safeguarding, they then independently created session plans for the Sixth Form pride group and a Year 9 assembly on LGBTQ+ History Month and allyship. Luna’s motivation for the work that they do is grounded in providing a more positive experience of school for Queer pupils, providing access to role models and creating safe spaces for pupils to ask questions and be themselves, whilst helping others to be effective allies. Despite pushback, they have also worked directly with the Principal at Van Mildert to redesign and enforce a non-gendered dress code to ensure greater accessibility to traditionally conservative events. In addition to participating in protests and leading social media campaigns on behalf of the college to ensure students felt seen, they have focused on “quieter” advocacy including diversifying the library’s collection with an independently curated Pride selection.
RILEY ILES
Riley (they/he), the current Trans representative for student voice at the University of Essex, has been shortlisted in recognition of behind the scenes commitment and pivotal role in gluing all of the work done to support the LGBTQ+ community on campus together in the background. Riley has helped new officers to build relationships with university inclusion champions, spent multiple hours both guiding them and understanding the complexities of situations, and been a shoulder to cry on when times have got tough. This has helped the officers hugely and allowed them to stay focused and to deliver results for the community that will have a lifelong impact for many. They have also played a key role in generating ideas for events to run on campus, before taking a leading role in helping to plan and ensure they are promoted widely to ensure successful delivery. They never seek credit or recognition for their contribution and are happy to sit back knowing that they have helped to improve the lives of LGBTQ+ students on campus.
SAM POWELL
Sam (he/him), volunteer manager at Pride in Surrey has been shortlisted for his dedication and hard work which has been instrumental in the organisation’s success. His commitment to recruiting and engaging volunteers has been a key factor in making the annual pride event in Surrey a significant and inclusive celebration. Sam, who identifies as bisexual, is a full time student studying politics and economics at the University of Warwick, whilst still regularly ploughing hours of voluntary work for his home county Pride. Not only is Sam the driving force of Pride in Surrey’s volunteer recruitment and engagement, he also regularly gives up break days to volunteer within their ‘Pride Hub’ LGBTQ+ centre in Woking, ensuring that doors remain open for this welcoming safe space for the community. By overseeing volunteer recruitment, training, and support, Sam ensures that all volunteers are equipped to provide valuable resources and support services to LGBTQ+ individuals. Through their work, Sam helps to foster a sense of belonging and empowerment among the LGBTQ+ people (including students) who volunteer.
