Why is Black History Month an important celebration for you? 

As a Black female, Black History Month is a celebration of how far we have come given all the adversity faced by people of colour. As a mother of two, it is time to teach our children, and others, all the rich history of our race; the contributions and accomplishments made by our ancestors which has vastly been taken for granted in the history books.

What are your experiences as a person of colour in the UK?

Coming to the UK was the first time I had travelled abroad. It was definitely a big change in culture for me. The first Sunday I went to church, I was the only Black person in that day. Everyone in the church was so welcoming after service and I was so lucky to have made lifelong good friends from that church. One of them was Scottish and she invited me and my friend IJ, to her family home in Scotland for Christmas. They welcomed us with open arms and never treated us any different. I would never forget that kind gesture especially as it was my first Christmas away from home.

Who would you say your role model is?

Indra Nooyi, she was the former CEO of PepsiCo. She was born in India and migrated to the US for studies. She is one of the very few minority women to lead an S&P 500 company. To make it to the top as an immigrant woman in a male dominated world is no mean feat. I truly admire her hard work and tenacity. 

How do you think the faculty and University can further progress inclusion and diversity? 

Continue to create opportunities where we can all learn about other people, cultures, celebrate our differences, treat people as individuals and be informed about issues faced by minorities. Also, continue to review organisational policies, procedures and culture to ensure they are inclusive.