Black History Month 2021

Black History Month (BHM) is an annual celebration of the contribution that Black African and Caribbean communities have made both locally and across the world. People of African and African-Caribbean heritage make an invaluable contribution to our life in the UK all year round, and BHM gives us a focus for celebration, learning and reflection.

The NHS is the biggest employer of people from diverse backgrounds in Europe. The significant contribution of Black people in communities right across the UK in our NHS and schools, small business, arts, academia, sports, volunteering help make Britain to be the strong and diverse country we are today.  For 2021 we celebrated BHM with a number of events, which can be watched back on our dedicated page.

Above Difference Webinar: Being a Black Female Leader in the Public Sector

Jennifer Izekor, Above Difference Founder, hosted four exceptional black female public sector leaders in an open discussion of the unique landscape for Black Women in the UK’s Public Sector.

• Cindy Butts, Senior Portfolio Holder, Chair of the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket
• Tracie Jolliff, NHS People Directorate, Head of Inclusive System Development
• Dr Joan Myers OBE, QN, Director and Trustee, Florence Nightingale Foundation, Queens Nurse
• Wendy Olayiwola BEM, RN, RM National Maternity Lead for Equality NHS England and NHS Improvement

Each speaker shared their personal journeys and their ‘hills climbed’ in achieving professional success.  They gave their advice to aspiring BAME female leaders planning their own ascent to leadership. This webinar is an insight into what it takes to succeed, the interesting ways in which discrimination, prejudice, racism and sexism have and still raise their heads, the ways in which our speakers have learnt to ‘thrive not just survive’ and the price(s) they have been made to pay along the way.

Race Ahead – NHS Big Conversation 2021

Full video content and resources for all sessions are now available on the EDI workspace on the FutureNHS platform including David Olusoga, zero tolerance for racism and leadership that makes as difference – positively transforming NHS culture. If you are yet to register on the platform, you would need to do so using your NHS email account.