Pride in London Fosters Creative Expression and Inclusivity Through Youth Poetry Competition
This past summer, Pride in London held an inspiring poetry competition for young people to showcase their talents and voices. With categories for ages 6-9, 10-13, and 14-18, the competition encouraged LGBTQ+ youth to celebrate queer poetry.
The contest drew an outstanding response from across London, demonstrating the desire for inclusive, creative outlets among younger demographics. A distinguished panel of judges including acclaimed poets Jack Underwood, Joelle Taylor, and Cia Mangat judged the submissions and selected winners to receive exciting prizes.
The winner in the 14-18 category was Amelie Simon for her poem ‘Born as an ocean in a stiff collared shirt’. Pavithra Pradeep took the top prize in the 10-13 category for ‘Equality for All’, while Melody Ashy-Boyd won the 6-9 category with her poem ‘Love’. Special mention went to Rupin de Menezes-Pattenden for their poem ‘Boys and Girls’.
Winning poems were featured during Pride in London in July. The poems will also be showcased at the upcoming Out-Spoken event at the Southbank Centre. Providing platforms for the LGBTQ+ youth poets demonstrates Pride in London's commitment to amplifying diverse voices and experiences within the community.
"We were thrilled by the enthusiasm for our first youth poetry competition and the amazing submissions we received," said Ashwin Bungarnayak - Deputy Director of Community Engagement. "Providing a platform for talented young writers aligns with our mission to increase awareness of LGBTQ+ experiences. Their courage and creativity exemplify the vibrant future we strive for."
Pride in London plans to build on the inaugural competition's success by making it an annual event. The organisation remains dedicated to engaging younger LGBTQ+ generations and showcasing their vital perspectives through creative mediums.
