IDAHOBIT may be over but we're continuing the theme on "Breaking the Silence!" specifically looking at isolation (both Covid19 related and much more generally)and how this has and still continues to affect those from the LGBTQ+ community.

Join us for a Zoom panel event which will be chaired by Aon's Head of Diversity and Inclusion, Katherine Conway, and we'll be joined be some wonderful speakers:

Emily Metcalfe - Bi+ activist and founder of Leeds Bi+ Group

Emily has been a volunteer and activist in the Leeds LGBT+ community for over 5 years. In that time she has founded and is Chair of Leeds Bi Group and Leeds LGBT+ Book Club and Lit Fest and is a rep for Leeds City Council's LGBT+ Community Hub. In addition to being an activist and volunteer in the local LGBT+ community, Emily is passionate about LGBT+ literature and enjoys being able to combine these two passions at the Leeds LGBT+ Book Club where participants can share views on a broad range of books. In her spare time (when not in lock down), you can often find Emily perusing book stalls at various locations throughout Yorkshire!

Kirsty Smith - Eversheds Sutherland

Kirsty is a Senior Legal Manager in the Planning and Infrastructure Consenting Team at Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP. She is an openly out lesbian and is the Lesbian Champion and a Leeds Office Representative for the firm’s LGBT+ employee network, Perspective. Kirsty is the Secretary for the Leeds LGBT+ Book Club, volunteer for the Leeds LGBT+ Lit Fest and a Committee Member of Link Up North, a local LGBT+ network, and regularly gets involved with organising events with these networks. In her spare time Kirsty will usually be found out walking with her dogs and wife, or reading!

Steven Copsey - Inclusive Employers / Link National Co-chair

Steven is an Inclusion & Diversity Consultant with Inclusive Employers, having previously spent over 12 years in the insurance industry. As National Co-chair of the Queen's Award-winning Link (LGBT+ Insurance Network), co-founder of Link Up North, Diversity Officer for the Insurance Institute of Leeds and a volunteer with the Insurance Charities - his passion for the industry is still going strong despite no longer working directly in the sector. He also sits on the national steering committee for the Employers' Initiative on Domestic Abuse

Yvy DeLuca - trans advocate and author

Yvy is a writer, performer and trans advocate. She is the author of Tainted Beauty, a memoir of her experiences as a trans, Indian woman. Yvy has a YouTube series using #LetsTalkAboutTrans, delving into a number of trans issues. She also performs as a BollyWitch, incorporating Bollywood dance the mystic world as a way of performance art.

So make sure you're free 12:00 midday on Thursday 28th May and join us for what is likely to be one of many incredible virtual Pride sessions this year.

Once you've registered - Zoom invites will be sent to you separately.

See you then - Link Up North