Theme: Armed Forces Trans(formative) Legacies

It is more important than ever to rise, disclose, reconstruct and debate ideas, stories and discoveries worth spreading. Our TEDxLambethSalon is privileged to actively seek the most remarkable life histories, specialisms and personal achievements that go through creative opposites, contradictions, and antinomies to establish the kind of transformative legacy we all want to live in. This is a gathering for new and established voices as well as for you. Show up and join us as we celebrate this gathering for the first time ever at Kalos Centre on Saturday 26th June, 2021 from 1:30pm until 5pm. We’ll be featuring thought-provoking speakers, world-changing ideas, bold performances and lots of interactive fun around the overall theme of "Armed Forces Trans(formative) Legacy", or in other words the often invisible contribution made by LGBTQIA+ people to the defence – occasionally betrayal – but usually the firm security of our realm. Indeed, this will be complemented by a supplementary panel, exploring espionage, not to mention security oversight.

As such, this TEDxLambethSalon is about bringing together men, women, and gender-queer people from every ethnicity, social background, economic circumstance, or any other discriminated group, who are speaking up, breaking out and pushing boundaries. Whatever their focus and talent – business, technology, art, science, politics – our speakers and performers reveal innovative techniques whereby challenges can be faced head on and subsequent empowerments can emerge for a better future.

TEDxLambeth is part of the global TED Talks programme. We are an inclusive space and we are proud to reflect diversity both in our audience and on our stage.

With thanks to our partners King's College London, Wellcome Trust, Ministry of Defence (Armed Forces Day), Peter Scott-Noble, Eurasian Creative Guild, OCA Magazine, Filmmking, and Coffee Wake Cup.

Kalos Centre
48 Endlesham Rd
London, Limavady, SW12 8JL
United Kingdom

Anthony Giorgio

Queer Activist + choreographer + speaker + teacher + founder and podcaster at Queer Teen Podcast

I am Anthony Giorgio and I am going to tell you a little bit about me. I grew up in Worcester, MA in a great house, with great humans and even brought my boyfriend to my prom in 2000! I came out at 16, my first boy kiss was magical and I started to realize all my friends were also pretty GAY. I am an activist, choreographer, podcaster, speaker and teacher. I've traveled to India with Prince Mavendra Singh Gohil for LGBTQ rights, spoken with Afro Queer Podcast for African Queer Rights, worked with GLSEN Maryland for Queer Youth Leaderships workshops and most recently partnered with NYC Pride for a Queer Youth world wide watch party in NJ. I've been fortunate to been featured on CNN with Queer Teen Podcast, The Golden Gays NYC and danced for kindness on The Today show! My work is to create a platform for encouraging the next generation of Queer Youth from across the world to stand up for what's right! We must tell OUR stories so that the world will truly understand who we are.

David Shayler

MI5 spy who blew the whistle on MI6 funding Al-Qaeda

Former MI5 officer who blew the whistle on MI6 funding Al-Qaeda 20 years ago. He now brings his experience of the intelligence services, research into terrorism and the legal system to show the way forward. He has previously ghost written books like "Spies, Lies and Whistleblowers", an account of his time in the services and on the other side of the powers-that-be, and "The Truth Manifesto".

Dr Chris Smith

Lecturer in History at Coventry University

Dr Chris Smith is Lecturer in History at Coventry University. He is author of "The Hidden History of Bletchley Park" (2015) and "The Last Cambridge Spy" (2019). He has also taught at Aberystwyth University, Worcester University, the University of Kent and Bournemouth University. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

Ejel Khan

Coordinator of Muslim LGBT Network

Ejel Khan is a founding member and coordinator of the Muslim LGBT Network, an advocacy and support group for Muslims identifying as LGBTQ+.

John Watson Allison

Founder of Motion to Mind and Street Gym + British Army Veteran

John served for 24 years with the Royal Engineers and latterly the Intelligence Corps. He specialised in Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), Counter-Terrorist Search and weapons intelligence. He’s the author of “Terrorist Weapons and Technology,” in Combatting Terrorism in Northern Ireland and “Innovation and the Improvised Explosive Device,” in Understanding Terrorist Innovation and Learning. While still retained as a weapons intelligence consultant, John now utilises his life experience by predominantly supporting others dealing with challenging times, via his wellbeing and coaching service, Motion to Mind™.

Kapil Gupta FRSA

Founder of Nibana.life + men's interpersonal and relationship coach + author

Following a 15 year corporate career and a MBA from University of Edinburgh, Kapil co-founded TurnON Britain, a company dedicated towards personal growth. He spent the last 6 years living a very spiritually monastic lifestyle, full of practices based on connection and relating. Committing himself to mastery of a new paradigm of relationships, which included how to be authentic, vulnerable, and in approval of the so-called negative aspects of his personality, Kapil’s personal growth journey took him away from corporate life and transformed him into an expert in Emotional Intelligence, dynamic relationships and a men’s interpersonal skills coach! Kapil has a deep understanding of the Art of Emotional Communication, and loves working with people on becoming self-aware, working with their shadow, creating ever-evolving relationships and lives fuelled by connection and desire. Kapil is a co-author of “Being Fine”.

Matthew Olsson

Royal Air Force Reserves Paramedic + Implementations Manager at ORCHA Health

Born and raised in South Africa, Matthew settled in the UK in 2000 and naturalised as a British citizen, following which he joined the Royal Air Force Reserve as a Combat Search and Rescue Paramedic in 2008, serving in various operations both on Medical Emergency Response Team and in other specialist units. He is an awardee of Our Emergency Services Hero in Glasgow among others.

Rev Dr David William Parry FRSA FRAS

Multi-award-winning author + theatre practitioner + queer cisgender pastor + founder of Valentine's Hall

Rev Dr David William Parry (pronouns: he/him/his) is an acclaimed poet, essayist, "sacred theatre" practitioner, esteemed celebrant and queer cisgender pastor of an independent Anthroposophical Sanctuary and Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) Oasis founded in South London, UK, known locally as Valentines Hall. David is a spiritual leader with a difference through his love and advocacy of natural philosophy, libertarianism, and revolutionary entrepreneurship. He brings an authentic and accessible approach to spirituality and living a high vibrational life, particularly in creating Abrahamic Botanica and Bookstore. David is an international speaker and author of 3 books including the much loved "Caliban's Redemption", "The Grammar of Witchcraft" and "Mount Athos Inside Me".

Stephen M. Bland

Independent Journalist + author

A freelance journalist, award-winning author, researcher, speaker and editor specialising in post-Soviet territories, Stephen M. Bland’s articles have appeared in numerous publications. A mix of travel, history, and reportage, his debut book - Does it Yurt? Travels in Central Asia or How I Came to Love the Stans – was released in 2016. Stephen is currently working on a documentary and putting the finishing touches to a book about the Caucasus. His investigations have taken place in various war zones throughout the years.