Why is Black History Month an important celebration for you?
It honours the sacrifices of those who have paved the way for me and other Black people to thrive in the UK.
It also gives me the time to pause, reflect and share my roots and history with my children. It’s equally a good time to start the conversation in the workplace and help others to understand the contributions and achievements of Black people in the industry.
Most importantly, it’s a good opportunity to showcase the achievements of Blacks throughout history so that the next generation will have numerous positive role models and opportunities they can aspire to.
What are your experiences as a person of colour in the UK?
Cultural barriers
A number of People in the UK are less tolerant of other cultures and accent. Having moved to the UK in my 20s, I initially had to “adapt to fit in”. And knowing what I know now, I have had to unlearn and be myself so that I can bring my whole self into every environment I find myself in.
Workplace
For some reason, it feels alien to some people to acknowledge the progress I have made in my career. I do have people who casually say the only reason I became an Associate Director is because I’m Black and a woman. And I wonder where those people were when I was busy working my socks off, putting in crazy amount of work to serve my clients and build the business up!
Family
My children are the ones I worry about the most. A little boy in school once called the colour of my son’s skin poo-poo. My daughter constantly asks why is my hair not like the others? I reassure both my kids and teach them to believe that the colour of their skin confidently makes them stand out from the crowd in a positive way. I want them to grow up in a world where they can see positive role models to aspire to and where doors are not shut based on the colour of their skin.
Who would you say your role model is?
I have several role models for different reasons.
I love Obama: Seeing him at the White House unlocked the door for me to reach for the stars and know that my children could be a president or prime minister someday if they want to regardless of the colour their skin.
I love Oprah: She makes me believe in the power of giving back and lifting others up. Empowering others to succeed is what gets me out of bed every day.
How do you think the faculty and University can further progress inclusion and diversity?
- Be transparent about the Diversity and Inclusion targets. Share the stats of where you are now and what the next 5 year targets are
- Expand the scholarship and bursary targets with specific focus on investing on Black and ethnic minority students. There is limited information about scholarships and bursary within the Black community. Even when the information is available there’s little support to help them understand how to make such applications
- Reach back to BAME alumni to share their experiences as positive role models. Invest in BAME innovation and empower those who want to get into business