About Matt Mahmood-Ogston
Awards for my work
2023: Outstanding Individual in Camden, Faith and Belief Forum Awards
2021: My documentary My God, I’m Queer – won ‘Best TV Programme of 2021’ from the Asian Media Awards.
2020: Awarded theFaith and Belief Community Award for our work supporting faith and belief communities in Greater London. This was namely for our annual online event #OutAndProudParentsDay which celebrates proud religious parents of LGBTQI+ children.
2020: Nominated for a National Diversity “Community Organisation” Award. Matt nominated for the Positive Role Model Award.
2019: Shortlisted for the National Diversity Awards.
2019: Nominated for a Rainbow Honours Award.
2019: Awarded IKWRO’s Special Recognition Award for ‘Outstanding Organisation Tackling “Honour” Based Violence’
2019: British LGBT+ Awards recognised my charity, Naz and Matt Foundation, as a Top 10 LGBT+ Charity or Community Initiative.
2018: Naz and Matt Foundation, nominated for a National Diversity “Community Organisation” Award.
2018: “Be the Man” (the story of Naz and Matt) shortlisted for “Best Original Track” at the BBC Folk Awards. Written and performed by the The Young’uns,
2017: Shortlisted for the No2H8 Crime Awards by TellMAMA (a national project which records and measures anti-Muslim incidents in the UK).
2016: JCI Ten Outstanding Young Persons Award accepted by Matt on behalf of Naz and Matt Foundation.
2016: Matt nominated for Positive Role Model Award (National Diversity Awards).
2015: Matt voted 6th most influential LGBTQI person in the UK, by the Independent on Sunday’s Rainbow List.
2015: Received official support from the Association of British Muslims for our work.
2015: Awarded the Attitude Pride Award for ‘Building bridges between religious and LGBTQI communities’ for my work through the Foundation.
A legacy that will change the world
In memory of my soulmate Naz, I founded Naz and Matt Foundation, a now award-winning charity that tackles religious and cultural homophobia in schools, colleges, universities, families and communities.
The charity has a simple, long term mission to “Never let religion, any religion, come in the way of the unconditional love between parents and their children“.
The charity’s main focus of work is to remove the barriers that prevent religious and culturally conservative parents from accepting their LGBTQI+ children.
The foundation provides free support and mentoring to LGBTQI+ individuals, and provides books, videos and learning materials to help parents learn, understand and accept the child they gave birth to.
Be the Man, the love story of Naz and Matt
In 2017, our story was turned into a chart topping, BBC Folk Awards nominated song called "Be the Man". The piece explored the moment I first meet Naz. falling in love, and sadly the tragic events that followed thirteen years later.
Written and performed by The Young'uns
The Real Cost of Homophobia
In one of the most in-depth, soul searching interviews I've done to date, this F*ck It Moments Podcast episode is our story of love, of heartbreak and a lesson in how we we each have a journey we must travel on in order to understand who we really are.