MsPhyll Opoku

This portrait is about more than what you see on the wall. It was a process rooted in intention, collaboration, and deep meaning. Photographer, the awesome @jessenavarrevos chose me as his subject, and together we created something that speaks to heritage, power, and belonging. I chose to be photographed at Home House a space that once excluded people like me. Standing there now felt like reclaiming that space, a reminder of how far we’ve come, and how much further there is still to go. To note I’m proud to be an Ambassador for @homehouselondon . Every part of what I wore held significance. The fabric which is a vibrant Kente cloth from Ghana was passed down through the women in my family, from my grandmother to my mother, and then to me, one day I will pass it to my daughter. It carries stories of love, strength, and endurance. The headdress and the floral piece around my neck created by @_cynthiafan , is often seen as symbols of restriction, were reimagined to represent beauty, liberation, and absolute sheer joy. This isn’t just a portrait. It’s a conversation with my ancestors. A visual prayer. A celebration of Black people occupying spaces where we should always belong. This image is now housed permanently at @nationalportraitgallery #LadyPhyll #TaylorWessingPhotoPrize #NationalPortraitGallery #BlackExcellence #LGBT #RepresentationMatters

Trailblazing activist Dr @ladyphyll will be joining the DIVA Charitable Trust (DCT) team as its new executive director, marking a defining moment for lesbian, bisexual, trans women and non-binary communities 🌈 As co-founder and chief executive of @ukblackpride and former executive director of Kaleidoscope Trust, Dr Lady Phyll has proudly and tirelessly campaigned for LGBTQIA+ rights around the world. Speaking on her appointment, Dr Lady Phyll said: “DIVA has always been more than a magazine, it is a political home, a cultural archive and a living testament to the power of LGBTQIA+ women and non-binary people telling our own stories.”  Dr Lady Phyll will continue in her role as CEO of UK Black Pride following a new succession process which has introduced two new co-deputy CEOs.  Click the 🔗 in our bio to learn more!

Our Beautiful News. Love — real, grounded, revolutionary love — is ours too. As Black lesbian women, we have always found ways to love on each other, to see each other, to choose each other, quietly, boldly, publicly, and without apology. And this time, I am saying yes to all of it as I’m at my best and ready to receive it all. On the 14th of October, in beautiful Morocco, surrounded by warmth, spirit, sunset skies and love, Lisa took to her knee and asked me to marry her. The setting was right, the vibe was right, the feeling was right, I can’t even explain the emotion so I’ll keep that in my heart. And of course after my eyes got wet… I said YESSSSSSSSSSS! 🤍 Yes — to her. Yes — to us. Yes — to this indescribable, buzzing feeling that’s still wrapped around me. Yes — to a love so deep it shakes me. And yes — to this beautiful ring that glimmers like a quiet but loud promise on my hand. This woman chooses me every single day. She makes me feel seen, prioritised, and held. We will continue to grow & learn together because the one thing I know is that her love is a home that I never have to shrink myself to fit inside and even if there are challenges we work on them - together! It was meant to be a surprise proposal — but the Scorpion in me (and anyone who knows me knows) finds out everything. I don’t really like surprises… however I love giving them. So, in true poetic justice, I re-proposed to her and when she said yes, with tears in her eyes, I felt the world still. That moment confirmed what I already knew: Lisa is my person. I’ve sat with this for a while, wanting to cherish it quietly before sharing it loudly. Because this kind of love, Black, Lesbian-Queer, Woman-Centred Love — deserves softness, celebration, and sacred pause. So here we are. Two women choosing each other, again and again. I’m saying yes to love. Yes to partnership. Yes to joy. Yes to the life we’re building together. And I am so ready to receive all the goodness that’s waiting and give it as well. Lisa I Love You 🫶🏾 #BlackLesbianLove #QueerJoy #LoveIsRevolutionary #SheSaidYes #BlackQueerLove #InLove #ScorpioSeason #Engaged

What a night! The DIVA Charitable Trust (DCT) Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony returned for another glitzy, powerful and inspiring evening to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ women and non-binary people making waves in our community 🌈 Hosted by podcaster, author and screenwriter Deborah Frances-White, the evening also saw incredible performances from Sans Soucis, Horse and Heather Peace 🤩 The room was packed full of game-changing LGBTQIA+ women and non-binary people from our community, including Christine McGuinness, Mzz Kimberley, Jessica Kellgren-Fozard and more ❤️ This unforgettable event is the shining highlight of Lesbian Visibility Week.

Happy 50th Birthday to my fiancée, my partner, my safe place… my Lisa ❤️ @favourleelee Yesterday we started celebrating in Central London, spoiling you a little with your birthday gift, laughing, wandering, eating good food and then coming home to reset, rebalance and just be together. And honestly… that feels like us. 50. What a beautiful milestone. And what a blessing it is to witness the woman you are. I say this all the time, not just on birthdays or special occasions, because I’m intentional about the love I have for you. You are not just somebody I love… you are my person. My protector. My lover. My best friend. My peace. My biggest supporter. And the woman who somehow still puts up with me every single day 😂❤️ What we have is real. Solid. Joyful. Grounded. The kind of love that makes outside noise feel very small because we have built a beautiful life together, one rooted in trust, laughter, care and showing up for each other fully even when it is challenging times. Every day with you already feels like a celebration, but today we honour YOU. Your journey. Your growth. Your heart. Your strength. Your softness. Your magic. God has truly blessed you to reach this stage of life and I know the best chapters are still ahead of us. So here’s to 50 and fabulous. To more adventures. More laughter. More dancing in the kitchen. More soft moments. More love. More life. Onwards and upwards, my darling! Happy Birthday My Gorgeous Lisa ❤️✨❤️ 📸 @bronacmcneill

✊🏿UK Black Pride is entering its 21st year, a moment that calls for reflection and renewal. As we honour more than two decades of building a home for Black and POC LGBTQIA+ communities, we are taking a strategic pause in 2026 from our large-scale Pride event. This pause strengthens our long-term vision, deepens our community work and prepares us for a landmark return in 2027. As Lady Phyll says, “UK Black Pride is not going anywhere.” This is how we build an even stronger future for our movement. Throughout 2026 we will continue to show up through partner events, cultural activations and community-led celebrations, including collaborations with UAL, Bleecker and DIVA, and the return of Black-Oktoberfest. We remain visible. We remain connected. We remain powerful. Stay with us as we shape the next chapter of UK Black Pride. #UKBlackPride 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️✊🏿✨

Lesbian Visibility Week 2026. 🏳️‍🌈 Now that the week has settled, I’ve been taking time to reflect on just how much was held across so many different spaces, conversations and connections. It wasn’t always easy, and it was definitely full… and important. Grateful for everyone who showed up, shared space and contributed to the week in their own way. This is my final wrap up ⬆️ ✊🏿💅🏿 @lesbianvisibilityweek @divacharitabletrust @divamagazine 🤍

She’s funny. Her presence is the kind that commands a room and then cracks it wide open. We were honoured to have Dr Lady Phyll @ladyphyll at LVW26 last Saturday. In her first year as Executive Director of @divacharitabletrust — and with two decades leading the fight for LGBTQ+ rights through @ukblackpride and beyond — she brought every single bit of that to The Ministry. And she made us laugh. We are so grateful for her presence and her trust in LBTQWomen. Thank you, Phyll. 💜 In collaboration with @divamagazine @prideinlondon @sanuradance @minteventsldn @ukblackpride Sponsored by @dnvglobalsharedservices @lseg.plc @mygwork With our community partners @moonlight_experiences @qe_london @lez.meet.uk @sapphic_socials_lesbian_events @getgayns #LVW26 #LesbianVisibilityWeek #LGBT #QueerLondon

My LVW26 look book ✨ Every look told a story of visibility, pride, purpose and showing up fully in every room I entered. 🥰 Lesbian Visibility Week is about more than being seen. It’s about taking up space, honouring our communities, and celebrating the power of living unapologetically. 📸 black-and-white head shot by @jonathanphangphotography 📸 by Brett 📸 by @favourleelee (Lisa) 📸 by @jhawadat #LadyPhyll #LesbianVisibilityWeek #LVW26 #UKBlackPride #queervisibility @lesbianvisibilityweek

Lesbian Visibility Week 2026… 💕 BABBYY. WHAT. A. WEEK. 🤯 My first LVW as Executive Director of DIVA Charitable Trust and honestly… I am still emotionally unpacking it. 😅 From launching the week at Pan Pacific. To speak at the @vagina_museum . To Parliament hosted by @kateosbornemp To breakfast conversations with the Minister for Equalities To Google for @giveout_org event @google To D’B for @cloakndagher Legally Queerly To shutting down the stock market at the London Stock Exchange Group @lseg.plc (yes… your girl pressed THE button). 👇🏿 To stand on that stage at the DIVA Awards and look out at a room full of queer brilliance, joy, resistance and love. 🥰 To present the Lifetime Achievement Award to @mzzkimberley whilst trying very hard not to cry. 😢 To dance after the ceremony like my knees were not already filing a formal complaint. To end the week surrounded by Black and brown queer brilliance at Brown Suga organised by @aisha_shaibu_lenoir & @lexie_hq and being reminded, once again, that community is everything. This week was about more than visibility. It was about truth. That our lives matter. That our health matters. That our joy matters. That our communities deserve investment, protection and power. Because when 1 in 3 LGBTQIA+ women and non-binary people avoid healthcare because of fear of discrimination, we are not talking about visibility. We are talking about survival. Huge love to my incredible team who made this happen: @roxybourdillon @jo.atkinspotts Sue, @ellagauci , @niccrosara @Fernando and @fionamarshall69 You are magic.✨ Thank you to our Board, our sponsors, our partners and every single person who showed up. Thank you to @diversityriley for building @lesbianvisibilityweek And the biggest thank you to my Lisa - @favourleelee ❤️ My person. My protector. The one who made sure I ate, drank water, wore the right outfit, got flowers, got home, got sleep and got held when it all felt like too much. The woman who loves me even when I am a bossy mare (which, respectfully, will not change). Now… onto planning 2027. ✊🏿 Because apparently rest is not part of my sexuality.☺️ #lesbianvisibilityweek #lvw2026 #blacklesbians

Meet the leaders shaping lesbian visibility across Europe 💗 This week is Lesbian Visibility Week (20–26 April), and at EPOA we’re spotlighting lesbian Pride leaders from across Europe. Today we hear from Lady Phyll (she/her) from UK Black Pride (United Kingdom) 🇬🇧 “Lesbian visibility is not just about celebration, it is about survival, dignity and joy. In a time where rights are being challenged, our visibility must be bold, collective and rooted in care for one another.” 👉 Swipe to read more. What would you like to see more of in your local Pride? Let us know in the comments. #EPOA #LesbianVisibilityWeek #LesbianVisibility #PrideMovement #Pride

#LVW Day 2. 🏳️‍🌈 Highlights from Yesterday, it was absolutely fantastic. From the Vagina Museum 👉🏾Parliamentary Reception. Two very different spaces, but both part of the same conversation. 🤍 Another great day with @lesbianvisibilityweek @divacharitabletrust @divamagazine ✨