1. Who are you?

I am Leah, pan, Deaf and LGBTQ+ activist, performer and I have a huge love for creative arts. I originally come from Greece, Athens. I have been living in the UK for over 20 years now. I moved to Edinburgh in 2012 for a MSc in Inclusive Education.

I did my first debut in stand up comedy in 2014 because I wanted to do a skydive and needed to raise money for this so I decided to do a standup to fundraise for Donaldson’s school (deaf school). As I received positive feedback I continued doing it as a hobby. I have been a subject of a documentary film Silent Laughs in 2016 directed by Natalia Kouneli which won an award for Best Documentary in 2017 at Deaffest.

I love poetry/spoken word. One of my recent poems, What is wrong with her?, was made into a short film for the first time, commissioned by Solar Bear Theatre Company which won an award for Best Scottish Short in 2020 at the Scottish Queer International Film Festival (SQIFF).

Last year I founded a Facebook private group, Deaf Rainbow Scotland, where any LGBTQ+ events happening in Scotland or general information linked with LGBTQ+ issues are also shared for peer support in this group. 

For the past few years I have volunteered in different roles for various LGBTQ organisations, such as SQIFF, LGBT Health and Wellbeing, Equality Network, Deaf Rainbow UK.

2. How did you get here?

I met Annabel (Sanctuary co-director) in 2014 in a pub and as we were chatting and talking about what I do I told her that I am doing stand up comedy performing in BSL alongside with a BSL interpreter to do the voice over, she thought it was pretty cool. Then she asked me to perform for Dive. I performed a few times there over the years. It was the best ones, the best venues, the best most responsive maddest audience I have even been to. I will never forget that I have had to be on a trolley or on a bench in order for the audience to see me! Yes I wish I was taller sometimes, oh well, I am short stuff I know, my grandma’s fault!

I have also performed for LGBT Health and Wellbeing as part of LGBT history month and for Birds of Paradise 25th year anniversary. I have been privileged to meet Jessie Thom, Janey Goodley and Scott Agnew and watch their act after I had done mine. I have been also honoured to be asked to perform my poem ‘Imagine a world’ for Cachin Cachan Cachunga Queer and Trans cabaret in 2015 too.

Before Sanctuary Queer Arts was going to launch, Annabel asked me if I wanted to do some BSL translation work for them, to translate into BSL their intro and projects videos. Of course I said yes, I loved this proposal. That’s how I joined this beautiful team. Sanctuary Queer Arts is a really cool place to work!

3. What does the concept of sanctuary mean to you?

To be surrounded by queer folks feeling the love, the laughs, the good vibes and not giving a damn about how you express yourself!

4. What does your sanctuary look like?

My sanctuary looks like many different places but one common thing from all these places is feeling content, happy, relaxed and free!