The Views Room

Older Queer Voices E26 Jo Rzymowska - Travelling Proud

53 min · 14. apr. 2026
episode Older Queer Voices E26 Jo Rzymowska - Travelling Proud cover

Description

In this episode of Older Queer Voices Podcast, host Raga D’silva sits down with Jo Rzymowska MBE, a trailblazer in global travel and one of the UK’s most visible LGBTQ+ business leaders. With a career spanning over four decades across brands like Disney, Thomas Cook and Celebrity Cruises, Jo shares her extraordinary journey from a young overseas rep navigating life-changing experiences, to leading with authenticity at the highest levels of business. She speaks candidly about growing up with a refugee family history, discovering her identity, and the long, complex path from hiding her sexuality to becoming a powerful, visible leader. Jo reflects on the realities of being a gay woman in the workplace in the 80s and 90s, the fear, the silence, and what it took to finally live and lead openly. Now, as the founder of Jovolution, (www.jovolution.com [http://www.jovolution.com/]) she is focused on giving back through mentoring, coaching and driving meaningful change in diversity, equity and inclusion. This is a conversation about resilience, identity, leadership and the power of being your true self. Visibility matters. Showing up matters. And stories like Jo’s remind us why. Follow us on You Tube  https://www.youtube.com/@theviewsroom [https://www.youtube.com/@theviewsroom] Instagram @theviewsroom emailtheviewsroom@gmail.com

Comments

0

Be the first to comment

Sign up now and become a member of the The Views Room community!

Get Started

1 month for 9 kr.

Then 99 kr. / month · Cancel anytime.

  • Podcasts kun på Podimo
  • 20 lydbogstimer pr. måned
  • Gratis podcasts

All episodes

37 episodes

episode Bridging Generations: SPECIAL FESTIVAL EDITION artwork

Bridging Generations: SPECIAL FESTIVAL EDITION

Bridging Generations | Older Queer Voices Festival Special What happens when queer generations come together? In this special live edition of Older Queer Voices, host Raga D'silva is joined by four remarkable guests for an inspiring conversation about visibility, resilience, allyship, representation and the power of shared stories across generations. Guests include: Professor Sue Sanders;  Educator, activist, co-founder of LGBT+ History Month and one of the UK's most influential voices in LGBTQ+ education, history, and visibility. Dan Porter; Chair of Tesco's LGBTQ+ Network, Head of Employer Brand and Recruitment Marketing at Tesco, inclusion champion and recipient of the British LGBT Inspirational Leader Award 2026, Finalist - Rainbow Honours 2026. Rosie Jones; Award-winning comedian, writer, broadcaster, and actor. Rosie has fronted her own Comedy Central series Out of Order, starred in Channel 4's documentary Am I A R*tard, led the BAFTA-nominated Trip Hazard and Mission: Accessible, and is the creator and star of the BAFTA-nominated comedy-drama Pushers. She is also a familiar face on shows including Taskmaster, Live at the Apollo, QI, 8 Out of 10 Cats, and The Last Leg. Jason Patel; One of the UK's most exciting emerging queer creatives. A double BIFA-nominated actor, Screen International Star of Tomorrow, British LGBT Awards Rising Star nominee and Rainbow Honours Musician of the Year nominee. Best known for his acclaimed performance in Unicorns, Jason champions authentic LGBTQIA+ storytelling across film, theatre, and music, and can next be heard in Russell Tovey's Audible Original Starlings alongside Andrew Scott and George MacKay Together, they explore what older and younger queer generations can learn from one another, the importance of visibility and representation, and why building stronger connections across generations has never been more important. Older Queer Voices celebrates older LGBTQ+ lives, stories, and experiences, creating conversations that ensure nobody feels unseen, unheard, or forgotten. Hosted by Raga D'silva; award-winning speaker, activist, and founder of Older Queer Voices. Follow us on You Tube  https://www.youtube.com/@theviewsroom [https://www.youtube.com/@theviewsroom] Instagram @theviewsroom emailtheviewsroom@gmail.com

15. juni 202640 min
episode Older Queer Voices E30 IDENTITY, FAITH & RACE artwork

Older Queer Voices E30 IDENTITY, FAITH & RACE

Host, Raga D'silva, sits down with activist, writer and lifelong campaigner Savitri Hensman for a powerful conversation on identity, faith, race, ageing and LGBTQ+ inclusion. From growing up as a queer woman of colour in 1970s Britain to co-founding the Black Lesbian and Gay Centre and advocating for justice across communities, Savitri reflects on decades of activism, resilience and hope. Together, they explore faith, belonging, ageing, care, social justice and the work still needed to build a more inclusive world. A thoughtful and inspiring episode from the Older Queer Voices Podcast.Recorded for the Older Queer Voices Podcast. Hosted by Raga D'silva. Co-founder: Nicola Fenton. Follow us on You Tube  https://www.youtube.com/@theviewsroom [https://www.youtube.com/@theviewsroom] Instagram @theviewsroom emailtheviewsroom@gmail.com

7. juni 202659 min
episode Older Queer Voices E29 Femi Otitoju - Black Lesbian Activism artwork

Older Queer Voices E29 Femi Otitoju - Black Lesbian Activism

Raga D’silva, host of the Older Queer Voices Podcast, sits down with trailblazing activist Femi Otitoju, current Chair of Queerwell, the UK’s community-led LGBTQ+ mental health and wellness charity focused on providing accessible, affirming support including therapy, coaching and wellbeing services for LGBTQ+ people. Femi is also one of the UK’s most influential Black LGBTQ+ voices, a diversity specialist, former Chair of Switchboard, and among the first out Black lesbians to speak openly about being gay on UK television in the early 1980s. In this powerful conversation, Femi reflects on growing up as a Black lesbian in Britain, finding community in the 1970s, activism through Section 28 and the AIDS crisis, intersectionality before the term existed, ageing in the LGBTQ+ community, and why hope, resilience and collective action still matter today. A moving and deeply important conversation on identity, survival, community and queer history. Follow us on You Tube  https://www.youtube.com/@theviewsroom [https://www.youtube.com/@theviewsroom] Instagram @theviewsroom emailtheviewsroom@gmail.com

27. maj 202650 min
episode Older Queer Voices E28 CRIMINALISED, NOT SILENCED artwork

Older Queer Voices E28 CRIMINALISED, NOT SILENCED

In this episode of Older Queer Voices, host Raga D’silva is in conversation with Rosanna Flamer-Caldera, a pioneering lesbian activist from Sri Lanka and founder of Equal Ground. Rosanna shares her powerful journey from a young girl in Sri Lanka struggling with her identity, to finding freedom and belonging in San Francisco, and ultimately returning home to  Sri Lanka to challenge injustice. Her story is one of courage, clarity and deep purpose, shaped by acceptance from her parents and a lifelong commitment to human rights. The conversation explores the harsh realities of criminalisation in Sri Lanka, the impact of colonial laws, and the ongoing fight for dignity and equality for LGBTQ+ people. Rosanna speaks candidly about building movements from the ground up, creating safe spaces for queer women, and expanding that work into a national platform that includes advocacy, allyship and cultural change. There is also reflection on the documentary Outlaws, where Rosanna’s story forms part of a larger global narrative on how outdated laws continue to harm LGBTQ+ communities. She speaks about the emotional weight of that storytelling and the importance of visibility in shifting mindsets. Alongside the challenges, this episode holds space for hope. Rosanna highlights the growing number of allies, the importance of community, and the role each person can play in creating change. She speaks directly to parents about unconditional love, and to those struggling with their identity, reminding them that they are valid, worthy and not alone. This is a deeply honest and moving conversation about resilience, activism and what it means to live authentically while fighting for others. Follow us on You Tube  https://www.youtube.com/@theviewsroom [https://www.youtube.com/@theviewsroom] Instagram @theviewsroom emailtheviewsroom@gmail.com

21. apr. 20261 h 3 min