The Queer Student Awards are now open for nominations

Nominations are now open for the fourth annual celebration of talented young LGBTQ+ people and their allies – The Queer Student Awards (QSAs), in association with EY. myGwork is once again a proud media partner for this year's QSAs.

Launched in 2021, by DEI and early careers specialist Steve Keith, the QSAs celebrate inspirational young LGBTQ+ people in the U.K. and the individuals, employers and educational institutions that provide them with the support and safe spaces they need to thrive and reach their potential regardless of their sexuality and gender identity. The event started on Zoom during the pandemic, and has taken place in Manchester for the last two years. However, this year’s live final will take place during Pride month in Birmingham on Wednesday 26th June, with a livestream provided by Not Going To Uni for the third consecutive year.

The awards are judged by a panel of student recruitment industry experts, queer influencers and young LGBTQ+ people who have previously been shortlisted or named winners. Young people like current ‘Queer of the Year’ Taj Donville-Outerbridge, who will be delivering a keynote speech at the final in June, in addition to supporting QSA2024 as a member of the judging panel. Last year Taj was recognized as a trailblazer, tirelessly transforming social spaces into supportive, collaborative and empowering environments for queer students at King’s College London and internationally. Their work included a bi-weekly social ‘Tea Time with Taj’ and a Liberation Ball, as well as articles published in the Bermuda press.

“The Queer Student Awards provide a rare and vital opportunity for us to celebrate the work of youth activists and advocates. In a world where human rights are being attacked and diminished globally on a daily basis and there seems to be a constant stream of negative attention placed on the LGBTQ+ community, we must treasure the QSAs for what they represent…Queer joy! They are a beacon of light for queer youth across the entire country,” shared Taj Donville-Outerbridge (they/them) of King’s College London “Never did I imagine a Black Queer boy from the tiny island of Bermuda would win a national award of this scale. Feeling seen and the acknowledgment that the work I do matters, has empowered me to continue my activism in new spaces both nationally and internationally. Other Queer youths deserve to experience this joy and recognition.”

Two new categories have been created for QSA 2024. They include Unsung Hero of the Year, championed by head judge Eva Echo and Impact of the Year, which will celebrate the finalist whose work has had the biggest positive impact on the young LGBTQ+ people. This year’s headline partners are global professional services firm EY, with category partners including AstraZeneca, Enterprise Mobility Services, Sage and Trans In the City. For the fourth year, the QSAs are partnering with LGBTQ+ inclusion charity Diversity Role Models who have now received £2,500 in donations raised to support their work delivering LGBTQ+ inclusion and anti-bullying workshops in schools and colleges across the U.K.

“For the first time in history last year’s Census data showed the size and distribution of Queer communities across the UK. It was always part of my vision for the event that once we had delivered the event without disruption caused by Covid or national rail strikes, that the QSAs would go ‘on tour’ with each year hosted by a different town or city to reflect the fact that LGBTQ+ communities exist all over the UK,” stated Steve Keith, QSA Founder and Event Director.

“As the 2nd biggest city in the UK, with a proud and thriving LGBTQ+ community, our first stop on that journey will be Birmingham. The theme for this year’s event is ‘Queer Liberation’. We have secured an iconic venue in the city centre - The Birmingham Town Hall. The Town Hall has hosted many moments of revolution and liberation including the anti-slavery meetings of the 1830s and work led by English political activist Emmeline Pankhurst who organized the British suffragette movement and helped women win the right to vote. I’m looking forward to hosting another evening, in a new city, that celebrates everything that young LGBTQ+ people across the UK are doing despite the huge amount of adversity that our community is currently facing.”

The deadline for nominations is April 3rd 2024, and the shortlist will be announced on April 30th. The winners will be celebrated on June 26 at the Birmingham Town Hall.

Click here to find out more and nominate.

Check out last year's winners here.

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