Zelly Lisanework is an Ethiopian-born British writer, poet, multidisciplinary artist, and human rights advocate. She is a co-founder of House of Guramayle, a global East African LGBTQ+ human rights organization, and her work delves deeply into the intersections of marginalized identities by addressing themes of neurodiversity, gender, sexuality, nature, mental health, and human rights. Zelly's art and advocacy both challenge societal norms to expose the injustices of the world while also celebrating the resilience and beauty found within it.

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Her unique voice has resonated across numerous platforms and events, including appearances on BBC Television and Radio, ITV News, and at festivals such as the Asmara-Addis Literary Festival, Spill Festival of Performance, Folk East Festival, Primadonna Festival, Sounds of Colour, Suffolk Pride, Norwich Pride, London Pride, and UK Black Pride.

 

Zelly’s artistic contributions have been featured DIVA Magazine, as well as in exhibitions at The Hold Suffolk Archives and the formerly named Museum of East Anglian Life, showcasing her multidisciplinary approach to storytelling and social commentary.

 

In 2021, she starred in the short documentary Queer Rural Connections, which explored the experiences of queer individuals in rural settings. The film was a finalist in the British Short Film Awards 2021 and was later selected for the BFI Flare Festival and Norwich Film Festival in 2022.