Moud Goba

Moud Goba
Born
Harare, Zimbabwe
NationalityZimbabwean
Organisations
Awards

Moud Goba is a Zimbabwean LGBTIQ+ human rights activist. She is a refugee in the United Kingdom where she arrived as a young asylum seeker fleeing Zimbabwe after years of persecution for being a lesbian.[1]

Early life

Goba grew up in Harare, Zimbabwe.[2] She fled the country during Robert Mugabe's regime,[3] which saw the harassment and persecution of homosexuals.[4] After applying for asylum in the UK, she waited two years for her request to be granted. Goba described the wait as a "time to volunteer for a number of organizations and set up my own—Gay Afrika—to help me find others like me living in the U.K."[5]

Activism

Goba is one of the founding members of UK Black Pride, a black gay pride event in London that has taken place since 2005.[6] She is currently the chair of their board of directors.[7]

Goba works as a project manager for Micro Rainbow International, a charity that supports homeless LGBTIQ+ people seeking asylum.[8] Goba works to help refugees on employability skills as well as leads MRI's safe housing project, which houses 25,000 homeless LGBTIQ+ people every year.[7] Goba focuses on refugees arriving to the UK from Afghanistan.[9]

In 2022, Goba was part of the parade for LGBTIQ+ rights at the opening of the Commonwealth Games at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, England, along with five other activists and English diver Tom Daley.[10]

For her collaboration with UK grassroot organizations in helping LGBTIQ+ refugees, Goba was included on Global Citizen's list of activists in 2023, stating that "she’s definitely a force to pay attention to in 2023".[11]

Awards and honors

In 2015, The Independent named Goba as one of the top 100 most influential LGBTIQ+ people in the UK for her experience working with LGBTIQ+ refugees.[12]

In 2017, the LGBT magazine Attitude recognized Goba's help to other refugees by honoring her with an Attitude Pride Award.[3]

In 2022, Goba was listed as one of the BBC's 100 Women, recognizing her contributions to LGBTIQ+ asylum seekers and refugees.[7]

In 2023, Goba received BET International's Global Good Award for "fostering LGBTQ+ safe spaces and refugee integration in society".[13]

References

  1. ^ Opoku-Gyimah, Phyll (6 December 2022). "Lady Phyll shares powerful story of the 'Black, lesbian, warrior woman' who changed her life for good, Moud Goba". PinkNews. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  2. ^ Goba, Moud (16 November 2021). "I fled to the UK seeking asylum – now I'm a proud lesbian mum". Metro. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Attitude Pride Award Winner: LGBT asylum seeker activist Moud Goba". Attitude. 7 September 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  4. ^ Muparamoto, Nelson (11 November 2021). "LGBT individuals and the struggle against Robert Mugabe's extirpation in Zimbabwe". Africa Review. 13 (3): S1–S16. doi:10.1080/09744053.2020.1812042. S2CID 225237647. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  5. ^ Cairns, Kay (15 January 2017). "Zim gay activist in the UK: Moud Goba – "Part gay but all human"". Nehanda Radio. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  6. ^ "Moud Goba". LGBTLeaders.co.uk. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  7. ^ a b c Wylie, Melissa (6 December 2022). "BBC 100 Women 2022: Who is on the list this year?". BBC News. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  8. ^ "Meet the visionaries blazing a trail for LGBTQIA women and non-binary people". Diva. 22 April 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  9. ^ "Moud Goba". Rencontres Economiques d'Aix-en-Provence. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  10. ^ "Zimbabwean lesbian and refugee part of gay rights parade at Commonwealth Games opening". NewZimbabwe.com. 31 July 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  11. ^ Okunola, Akindare (16 December 2022). "18 Activists You Should Absolutely Look Out for in 2023". Global Citizen. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  12. ^ Morrison, Sarah (15 November 2015). "Rainbow List 2015: 1 to 101". The Independent. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  13. ^ Ramachandran, Naman (20 June 2023). "LGBTQ+ Activist Moud Goba to be Honored With 2023 BET International Global Good Award (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 21 July 2023.