COVID Vaccine Info Session

Recorded on 11th Mar 2021

A special Zoom session dedicated to answering all your questions regarding the COVID vaccines. Hosted by our Trustee Becki Wilkins, we are incredibly pleased to welcome two very special guests – Dr. Vanessa Apea and Dr. Rageshri Dhairyawan.

For more info about this session or our other online events, please get in touch at talktome@positiveeast.org.uk

Mama Says

Created in 2018, our video ‘Mama Says’ was designed to promote awareness of and access to PrEP for African communities.

‘HIV Knowledge & Islam’ Resource Launch

Recorded on 26th September 2020

Our special digital event, launching ‘HIV Knowledge & Islam’ – a brand-new resource designed to promote HIV awareness within Muslim communities.

Thank you so much to Badru Male for hosting the session and to our panelists: Sheikh Suleiman Kibuka, Aisha Nabunya, Baker Kiyingi, Husseina Hamza, Khaiser Khan and our Director Mark Santos.

30 Years of Living with HIV

An oral history project from Positive East and Eastside Community Heritage, looking at the impact of the HIV prevention campaign of the 1980s by all those involved, including those who were not expected to survive.

During the project, 20 people were interviewed and their testimonies were used to inform the creation of an exhibition and documentary film.

COVID-19 & HIV Update
With Simon Collins from HIV i-Base

Recorded on 21st October 2020

Simon Collins from HIV i-Base gives an important update on the latest research around COVID-19 and HIV.

All information in this video is accurate up to 21st October 2020.

We would really appreciate your thoughts and feedback on this workshop. Please take a few minutes and complete this survey.

If you have any questions about this event or our Stride workshops in general, please contact Greg at greg.leonard@positiveeast.org.uk

Food and Mood
With Luke White from The Food Chain

Recorded on 23rd September 2020

Luke White from The Food Chain delivers an informative workshop on how food and diet can affect not only your physical health, but your mood and overall wellbeing.

We would really appreciate your thoughts and feedback on this workshop. Please take a few minutes and complete this survey.

If you have any questions about this event or our online workshops please contact Greg at greg.leonard@positiveeast.org.uk

Ethnicity, COVID and HIV: The impact of COVID-19 on people living with HIV
With Dr Vanessa Apea

Recorded on 20th August 2020

Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people are more susceptible to COVID-19 than other social groups and there’s a lot of confusing information out there. So we asked Dr Vanessa Apea of St Bart’s Hospital to give us the facts around why this is the case and what people can do to stay healthy and protect themselves during the pandemic.

We would really appreciate your thoughts and feedback on this workshop. Please take a few minutes and complete this survey.

If you have any questions about this event or our online workshops please contact Greg at greg.leonard@positiveeast.org.uk

Special Guest: Matthew Todd 

Recorded on 12th August 2020

It was a pleasure to host Matthew Todd – writer of Straight Jacket and prominent LGBT activist – speaking very honestly about his life, his work and his personal values.

We would really appreciate your thoughts and feedback on this workshop. Please take a few minutes and complete this survey.

If you have any questions about this event or our Stride workshops in general, please contact Greg at greg.leonard@positiveeast.org.uk

Stigma

Made in partnership with HIV Voices.
Directed, produced and edited by Anna de Guia-Eriksson.

I am Bold and Beautiful

Made in partnership with HIV Voices.
Directed, produced and edited by Anna de Guia-Eriksson.

Educate Yourself

Made in partnership with HIV Voices.
Directed, produced and edited by Anna de Guia-Eriksson.

I Am Here

Made in partnership with HIV Voices.
Directed, produced and edited by Anna de Guia-Eriksson.

Episode Fifteen: Breaking Fast

Recorded on 12th July 2021

This month we discussed ‘Breaking Fast’ (available on demand on YouTube) – a film about a devout Muslim living in West Hollywood who makes an unexpected connection with an actor during the holy month of Ramadan. Massimo returned as our host and was joined by two special guests – Ferhan Khan and Khakan Qureshi – to talk about interfaith relationships.

Episode Fourteen: parTyboi

Recorded on 14th June 2021

This month’s event was hosted by Peter (our Prevention & Testing Team Manager) and we discussed ParTy Boi: Black Diamonds In Ice Castles, a documentary that explores methamphetamine addiction within the LGBTQ+ community of colour. The film also focuses on the urgency to normalise conversations about HIV prevention methods and spotlights the emergence of an underground culture that became the world-renowned ballroom scene.

Episode Thirteen: Brace

Recorded on 10th May 2021

This month’s event was hosted by Peter (our Prevention & Testing Team Manager) and we discussed BRACE, a short film by Jake Graf.

We talked about trans masculine and non-binary people accessing HIV prevention and sexual health services as well as sexual wellbeing and navigating sex and relationships, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our special guest was Jamie Jaxon – a trans man taking PrEP who has been a part of Prepster and Sophia Forum‘s videos, advocating for PrEP for trans people.

Episode Twelve: Olly Alexander: Growing Up Gay

Recorded on 12th April 2021

This month we discussed the documentary ‘Olly Alexander: Growing Up Gay’ (available for free on BBC iPlayer). In this documentary, the Years and Years singer and star of the Channel 4 drama series “It’s A Sin” discusses his personal struggles with his sexual identity and explores the mental health issues faced by members of the LGBT+ community.

Massimo was joined by our very own Andre Smith – Counselling Coordinator at Positive East – and special guest Alexander Leon, writer and campaigner focussed on LGBT+ rights, anti-racism and mental health.

Episode Eleven: Frida

Recorded on 8th March 2021

This month, as we celebrated International Women’s Day, we discussed the 2002 film ‘Frida’. This biopic about Frida Kahlo stars Salma Hayek in the role of the iconic world renowned artist.

Our amazing guest host Renée was joined by two special guests – Manpreet Dhindsa and Juno Roche.

Episode Ten: The Normal Heart

Recorded on 8th February 2021

This month we watched the 2014 film ‘The Normal Heart’ (available on Amazon Prime). Based on Larry Kramer’s 1985 play of the same name, the film depicts the rise of the AIDS crisis in New York City as seen through the eyes of the founder of a prominent HIV advocacy group.

Massimo was joined by three fabulous special guests – Peter Bampton, Ash Kotak and Greg Leonard.

Episode Nine: Tucked

Recorded on 11th January 2021

This month we watched the 2018 film ‘Tucked’ (available on Netflix) – a film about an 80 year old drag queen who forms an unlikely friendship with a younger queen.

Our fabulous host – Massimo – was joined by Hugh, the mastermind behind the ultimate drag icon Shirley Du Naughty to discuss all things drag, from the history of the art form to the importance of friendships between LGBTQ+ people of all ages.

Episode Eight: 30 Years of Living with HIV

Recorded on 30th November 2020

For this very special World AIDS DAY edition of TECHNICOLOR, we invited drag icon Shirley Du Naughty to join us as special guest hostess!

The event featured:

– digital display of panels from the AIDS Memorial Quilt and monologues from HIV Voices
– live stream of the film ’30 Years of Living with HIV’
– Q&A session hosted by Shirley
– virtual DJ set from the utterly fantastic Tafkanik

For the Q&A, Shirley was joined by a panel including:
– Mark Santos, Director at Positive East
– Steve Worrall, Deputy Director at Positive East
– Becki Wilkins, Trustee at Positive East

Episode Seven: Disclosure

Recorded on 31st October 2020

For this event, we watched the new documentary ‘Disclosure’. Gloria Odongo – the fabulous host of Positive East’s Bee Live sessions – led a Q&A discussion about the issues faced by Trans and Non-Binary people of colour as well as discussing visibility in the media, both in the UK and US.

Gloria was joined by:
– Rico Jacob Chace (He/Him) – Director at TransActual UK, Producer of Against Racism Radio Show. Rico is a producer and videographer in London and is a very vocal activist, fighting avidly for the rights of LGBTQIA+ people and Black people.
– Jailen Chapple (They/Them) – Recent graduate of Florida State University (FSU) where they completed a Social Work degree, with a honors thesis focusing on “LGBT youth experiencing Homelessness”. Jailen also studied in London, interning at Positive East. Their interests include: LGBT rights, disability rights, and health equity.

Episode Six: Pride and Protest

Recorded on 12th October 2020

For this event, to promote and support National Hate Crime Awareness Week (10th-17th Oct), we watched the new documentary ‘Pride and Protest’ that premiered at this year’s BFI Flare festival. The documentary sheds light on many issues faced by Britain’s LGBTQI+ black and people of colour communities, following several activists during their day-to-day lives as they fight to hold on to their pride in a racist and homophobic society.

We hosted a Q&A session and were joined by special guests:
– Blaise Singh – Director of ‘Pride and Protest’, founder of Make A Difference Entertainment and project manager and producer for Rainbow Films
– Ferhan Khan – LGBTQIA+ activist specialising in Queer Muslim and non-binary visibility and tackling racial and gender inequality and also climate change and environmental activist
– Vaneet Mehta – Volunteer for Rainbow Films and Middlesex Pride and co-founder of The AmBIssadors, a bisexual YouTube channel, and widely published writer for LGBTQ+ issues (GMFA publications, METRO UK, Unicorn Magazine and The Bi-ble Volume 2, a bisexual anthology)

Episode Five: Paris is Burning

Recorded on 14th September 2020

For this event we watched the seminal documentary ‘Paris Is Burning’ to acknowledge the history and social significance of Ballroom Culture. Afterwards, we held a discussion about the film with our fabulous guest D’relle, known as European Father D’relle West and also as the pioneer of Ballroom in The United Kingdom.

Episode Four: Raffiki

Recorded on 10th August 2020

For this event, to celebrate the starting of Pride Afrique 2020, we watched the Kenyan film Raffiki and were joined for a Q&A session by:
– Dr. Felicia Bamgbose from Barts Health NHS Trust
– Christana, Editor-in-chief of AZ Magazine
– Aisha Shaibu, Volunteer Manager at UK Black Pride
– Sebbie Mudhai, founder of YAP (You Are Power) Collective and facilitator for Diversity Role Models

Episode Three: The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson

Recorded on 13th July 2020

For this event, we watched ‘The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson’ as we remembered and acknowledged the Stonewall riots and the importance that Trans and Queer People of Colour had in them. We were joined for a Q&A session by activists Cavyn Mitchell and Marc Thompson.

Episode Two: Weekend

Recorded on 8th June 2020

For this event we watched ‘Weekend’, a film about a one-night stand that becomes something more – an unconventional love story between two young men trying to make sense of their lives. We were joined by our guest speaker Tom Witney for a Q&A session as he talked about gay relationships and HIV.

Episode One: God’s Own Country

Recorded on 11th May 2020

For this event – the first edition of TECHNICOLOR Online – we watched ‘God’s Own Country’, a film about a Romanian seasonal worker in Yorkshire, and his relationship with a young British farmer and held a Q&A session with our speaker Ricky Krokos, who shared his experiences as an LGBT+ person who moved from Eastern Europe to the UK.

Sickle Cell Awareness

Recorded on 24th July 2021

This month’s edition of Bee Live was hosted by Gloria and – as part of Sickle Cell Awareness Month – she was joined by some special guest speakers to explore sickle cell disorders and how they impact the Afro-Caribbean community.

African Men’s Sexual Health

Recorded on 26th June 2021

In this month’s Bee Live, we were joined by a couple of guest speakers to discuss African Men’s Sexual Health, exploring issues such as:
• Why African men are diagnosed late. What are the barriers?
• The challenges faced by African men when communicating about their sexual health needs.
• What can be done to educate and involve African men in better managing their sexual health?

Black Women’s Maternal Health

Recorded on 22nd May 2021

In this month’s Bee Live, we discussed black women’s experiences of maternity services, what are the factors that increase their risk of death in pregnancy and labour and the ways in which we can empower pregnant black women.

Our guest panel included:
– Kemi Akinwunmi – Qualified Midwife, Specialist in Public Health, First Aid Trainer and Mother
– Rebecca Mbewe – works at Positively UK as the GROWS Training & Policy Coordinator and is a mentor, speaker and trainer working within the HIV sector
– Mars Lord – Coach and Birth Activist, triple award-winning doula, mentor and educator

Sex in a Relationship

Recorded on 17th April 2021

This time, Bee Live was hosted by Badru as we discussed sexual health in a relationship in a marriage and while dating.

A guest panel of faith and cultural leaders were involved in exploring the following topics:
– Sexual health tests before and during a relationship
– Barriers to HIV testing and sexual health screening

Women & HIV

Recorded on 20th March 2021

In this edition of Bee Live, we discussed whether women are invisible when it comes to HIV responses in the UK. Our guest host Euriza was joined by a fabulous panel including Juddy Otti, Winnie Ssanyu Sseruma and Beatrice Nabulya.

Mind, Body and Spirit

Recorded on 20th February 2021

For this LGBT+ History Month edition of Bee Live, we were joined by special guests Phil Samba and Reverend Jide Macaulay for a discussion on the well-being – both spiritual and physical – of the Black LGBT+ community in the UK.

Overcoming Barriers to Sexual Health Screening

Recorded on 23rd January 2021

We kicked off 2021’s Bee Live programme with a panel discussion addressing the ways in which we can ensure that West African Communities are reached, kept up to date and supported to take control of individual sexual health, with access to all relevant resources.

HIV prevention & COVID-19 – what happened?

Recorded on 21st November 2020

Gloria, along with Yasmin, Badru, Massimo and Euriza from our Prevention & Testing Team looked back on 2020 – the year of COVID-19 – and discussed how we have rolled out HIV prevention during the pandemic as well as sharing plans for the future.

PrEP in the black community

Recorded on 17th October 2020

For this episode of Bee Live, we were joined by a few special guests joining us for a discussion on PrEP in the black community.

Our panel of special guests:
– Harvey Kennedy, Founding Director of Black Beetle Health
– Juddy Otti, Community HIV activist
– Dr Vanessa Apea, Clinician at Barts NHS Trust

All Things Mental Health

Recorded on 29th August 2020

For our August Bee Live session, Debbie Muema – Psychotherapist and Counsellor – joined us to talk about breaking the stigma around discussing mental health issues and her work with Insight.aie.