Pride month was built off of protest, joy, healing, and love. Those same elements are still a part of celebrations around the world, but now more than ever have we seen the need to resist and protest the injustices affecting our community. There are plenty of people doing just that and Spotify is putting a few of these folks on your radar in their Pride campaign.
In addition to making donations to various LGBTQ organizations, Spotify is highlighting a few activists from around the world, the music they’ve curated that represents the work they do, and the stories they’re sharing as part of their Pride Month campaign. Those featured include Jonathan Lykes, Phyll Opoku-Gyimah (aka Lady Phyll), Karolyna Pollorena, and Fumino Sugiyama, as they share the music that inspires them and the stories that inspire you. Check them out below.
Jonathan Lykes (he/him)
We celebrate Black History and Black Joy 365!!
Our #LiberationHouseAnthem video drops TODAY with @bigfreedia and @blackjoyexp!!
Link in bio to watch the full video!!#bouncemusic #blackjoy #JustBeFree #bouncemusic #music #liberationhouse. #Blackjoyexperienxe pic.twitter.com/vzmckBq4u7
— Jonathan Lykes (@jonathanlykes) March 18, 2022
As an activist and musician, Jonathan uses both organizing and music to advocate for and uplift Black and Brown queer youth and currently serves as a policy analyst for Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) and is the National Youth Organizer for the get R.E.A.L Initiative.
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Phyll Opoku-Gyimah (aka Lady Phyll) (she/her)
Sorry but not sorry, gosh I’m so cute!
This is me just before I was ready to go on stage and introduce the Queen of Dancehall @spiceofficial 🔥🔥🔥#2SLGBTQIA+ #BIPOCC #Pride #InternationalGrandMarshall @PrideToronto 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️✊🏾❤️🤎 pic.twitter.com/QaS2AJCoV7— Phyll Opoku-Gyimah (Dr Lady Phyll) (@MsLadyPhyll) June 25, 2022
Lady Phyll, founder of U.K. Black Pride and the executive director of the Kaleidoscope Trust, has made a name for herself in the activism space around race, LGBTQ rights, and intersectional experiences.
Karolyna Pollorena (she/her)
Somos amor 🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈💜 pic.twitter.com/XUjTwMwvWY
— Karolyna (She/Her/Ella) #RaiseYourVoice (@Its_Maky_Bitch) June 25, 2022
As a human rights activist and speaker, Karolyna is using her platform to advocate for gender equality, LGBTQ rights, and immigrant rights and has worked with UN Women to do so.
Fumino Sugiyama (he/him)
#LGBTQ もそうでない人も、多様な誰もが #自分らしくプレー できるスポーツ界へ!#東京アクション#誰もが生きやすい社会#フェンシング@tokyo_action pic.twitter.com/cClea6IpKo
— 杉山文野💙💛 (@fumino810) August 19, 2021
Fumino was once a member of Japan’s national fencing team. Now, he’s an activist, business leader, and executive board member of both the Japan Fencing Federation and the Japan Olympic Committee (JOC), the JOC’s first trans executive board member. Board duties aside, he also runs Tokyo Pride.
Learn more about these amazing activists and their stories from Spotify’s Pride Hub.