Beyond October

For many 2020 has been intense, not only because of the global pandemic but also because of the powerful spotlight which was shone on the lives of Black people; as racial tensions escalated to the point of tipping, again a global experience.

While these events should not be washed over or diluted in any way, as the struggle is real and change is long overdue, I have a natural tendency to see the flip side - despite the adversity and the pain many of us felt as these events unfolded, I was also compelled to look for the good, however small it may have been.

As Black History Month comes to a formal end, I believe there is an opportunity for us to continue highlighting and celebrating the strides of positive change and contributions that have been made by the Black community over the years in the UK beyond October.

We can trace Black history to its origins in Africa, the disbursement over the centuries of Black people can be witnessed across the globe with the UK being a prominent country for many to migrate to, even today. Both the African and the Caribbean cultures have offered immense cultural diversity, that is expressed in an array of ways, such as their traditions, cuisine, fashion, languages, music, and celebrations, nobody can deny these such things bring vibrancy.

However, these communities have brought much more to the structure of society in the UK. With many making phenomenal strides to break down barriers and open doors for others while educating others on the importance of integration, collaboration, and acceptance. 

The four people I mention here are not even a drop in the ocean, but they each hold something personal for me and hence why I am excited to share a little about their contributions.

First is, Baroness Doreen Delceita Lawernce OBE who was born in Jamaica in the 1950s and moved to England at age nine. Doreen is probably best known as the mother of British teenager Stephen Lawrence who was murdered in a racist attack in South East London in 1993. I remember how I was impacted by this event as a young black girl. My friends and I were shocked, we had heard stories but never was it so close to home. After many years of campaigning, Doreen’s efforts were realised as the reforms in the police service began. From here she founded the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust which advocates creating a fairer society for all, especially those from a disadvantaged background. In 2003 Doreen was awarded an OBE for her services to community relations, she has gone on to achieve many other notable awards and titles, but her work to advocate for the disadvantage has not changed.

Next is Tunji Akintokun MBE. Tunji was named in the EMPower 100 Ethnic Minorities Executives List, which recognises executives who are leading by example. Tunji has worked in the corporate sector with big names such as Cisco and PwC; however, his influence and contribution have had a much wider ripple effect. Tunji is one of my husband’s mentors. Apart from mentoring, he was also one of the co-founders of Your Future Your Ambition (YFYA) which aims to inspire the next generation to pursue STEM as a career, it was also for this work that he was awarded an MBE in 2018. With this program being well established, Tunji has since moved on and founded The Ilesha Charitable Trust which is now his main vehicle for supporting diversity beyond STEM and into social mobility, arts, and sports.

The third person who has recently caught my attention is Marcus Rashford. Not being a football fan, I had no idea Marcus was a well-known football player for Manchester United and the England football teams. Seems his skills on the pitch are equally matched to his recent advocacy, urging the UK Prime Minister to reverse his decision to stop the provision of free school meals during the pandemic over the school holidays. At 22 years of age, he was honoured for this very same effort and awarded an MBE. I know many others use their platform to support great causes, but Marcus, who was brought to my attention by a client of mine, who is also a Headteacher, mentioned, she as well as many of her colleagues were greatly concerned when the government revoked the free school meals as the impact on families could be adverse, now it is one less thing they have to be concerned about.

Number four is Steve McQueen; you may know him as the man who won the Oscar for the film 12 Years a Slave. Growing up in West London, Steve always wanted to be a painter however, at art school his passion changed and he began taking photographs and making films. His work from this time has always explored what it means to human - being a behavioural scientist myself, I have a similar interest which is just expressed differently. Within Steve’s work, you will also see how he brings the past and the future together – ‘You look back to look forward’. Steve’s current contribution to support social reform is through Steve McQueen’s Year 3 exhibition at Tate Britain. Back in 2018, Steve invited all Year 3 students from all London primary schools to participate. 

He created a huge portrait of all the seven- and eight-year-olds, depicting those who will shape the future. Steve believes that every child should have the opportunity to study creative subjects as it can help children to learn using their imagination, and with some of the world's problems today, he believes it will take imagination to bring solutions. He has several other projects being released in November, in the same vein, he too wishes to continue the celebration of black lives beyond the month of October.

I hope you will also join us to cultivate a mindset and way of life that celebrates all people irrespective of their race, ethnicity, or culture beyond October.