Two weeks ago, a photograph of a woman wearing red mayoral robes and an even brighter smile kept popping up on my WhatsApp. Everyone I knew seems to be sending the same un-captioned photo with the words, St Lucian Mayor. No name, no citation, no date. Then the telephone calls started with even faster regularity. “JD do you know who she is? What part of St. Lucia is she from.” Endless questions, requiring elucidation. When a few editor friends got in touch each demanding to have the exclusive, it was time for action.
In April 2021 the London Borough of Waltham Forest elected a new Mayor, full title: The Worshipful the Mayor, Cllr Elizabeth Baptiste. Armed with a film crew and with bridled curiosity, I sat with the new lady in town for her first interview in her new role.
Situated north east of the capital, the London Borough of Waltham Forest (population 276,983) is known less for its geography and more for its many famous residents, past and present. Harry Kane, one of the best strikers in the world, 3 times Premier League golden boots winner. The current England football team captain was born and raised in the borough. World football icon David Beckham is another born and raised local boy.
From the world of popular culture; the roll call includes, jazz great, Sir Johnny Dankworth, husband of Cleo Lane, Ian Dury, (0f Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick Fame) and Brian Harvey and his internationally known boy band, East 17 all of them Waltham Forest born.
Political heavyweights include Baroness Patricia Scotland, whose family settled locally when her family emigrated from Dominica. Baroness Scotland lived and went to school locally and considers herself “made in Waltham Forest,” She is England’s first female Attorney General and the sixth Secretary – General of the Commonwealth of Nations. Both Winston Churchill (Conservative) and Clement Attlee (Labour) were local Members of Parliament when they were Prime Minister.
In 1892 a local resident, Frederick Bremer built the first motor car in a workshop in his garden at Connaught Road. That car is housed in the Vestry House Museum, on display for all to see. A world pioneer indeed.
However, the title of most famous “Waltham Forest” person falls to William Morris, the 19th century socialist and cultural activist, poet, designer and acclaimed genius. Immortalised by his most famous quotation “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful, ”
Over refreshments and with the aid of her attendant, the very helpful Matthew More, I asked questions that had been fired at me by friends and colleagues and the many I myself wanted to know; who is Elizabeth Baptiste? With the poise of a seasoned public figure her replies to my questions, came with effortless, honesty and candour.
“My mother’s name is Angela Baptiste and she comes from the beautiful village of Micoud in St. Lucia. She is also known as Meonette. My father is Alstead Baptiste, he is Grenadian. I was born in London, a product of the Windrush Generation. I also spent time and went to school in Grenada”
You worked for the University of Westminster before you became a councillor, (which we will get to) but first tell me about University of Westminster?
I worked in the Quality and Standards Office as part of a team. We were responsible for the development and implementation of the University’s quality assurances and enhancement process. I was the link officer for the Facility of Social Services and Humanities. I worked on a range of quality and standards tasks in relation to the validation and re-validation of internal and externally delivered courses, (UG, PG and PhD) with partners at the University and abroad. I also worked as a senior Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) specialist with proven results working in Higher Education (HE) departments and trade unions. I have particular expertise in developing initiatives and interventions to change the culture across HE departments to promote EDI and prospective students and staff.
When you ran as a Labour Councillor in 2018, in what is considered to be very Conservative area, many questioned your sanity believing you were walking into the lion’s den. Why did you decide to become a councillor?
I ran the Valley Ward seat in May 2018, I fought a fair and hard campaign. A Councillor’s term is for four years. I was elected as Deputy Group Leader immediately after my winning the seat in 2018. The following year, in May 2019, I was elected as Chair of the Labour Group. This year I was elected Mayor, by my peers and councillors from both political groups. I am delighted to be working on behalf of all the people in the borough, regardless of their religious backgrounds or political alliance. I see my role as being there for all our communities and residents.
For those not acquainted with the role of Mayor of the London Borough of Waltham Forest, please explain the role?
The Mayor is the borough’s civic and ceremonial head, with responsibility of attending all full council meetings. My daughter, April Sampson is my Consort. My Spiritual Adviser is Revd Cannon Ade Ademola of Emmanuel Parish Church Leyton. Another interesting part of the job is receiving members of the Royal Family, in conjunction with the Queen’s representative, the Deputy Lieutenant. Since being appointed I have devoted time to all parts of the job. I find it rewarding when I am engaging with anyone living in the borough especially supporting the various community groups.
Can you give me examples of such work?
Of course, since taking office, I have attended the launch of the faith Art Exhibition, the re-opening of the refurbished Boots store in Walthamstow and spent time meeting the members of the Gnome House Community Centre…..and this interview, (she smiled).
The Mayor spoke of her vision for the coming year, which includes empowering and capacity building among the various religious, voluntary and community groups. The Mayor also spoke about her chosen charity appeal. She will be supporting the Sickle Cell Society as well as Age UK, Waltham Forest and the Alzheimer’s Society (Dementia Friends).
Given her engagements in less than a month in office, a busy year lies ahead. I wanted to know more about her association with St. Lucia.
I have visited the island many times over the years. Many years ago, I was part of a St Lucia Labour Party support group based in London. We campaigned and raised funds for the elections under Dr Kenny Anthony. Please give him my regards. He was kind enough to invite me to the first Labour conference after he was elected. So, I do have a toe in St Lucia Labour Party politics. (She laughs). Yes part of where I am today is informed by my association with the St Lucia Labour Party.
The interview ended with The Worshipful the Mayor, Cllr Elizabeth Baptiste promising to be accessible to her constituents. Anyone can go on her website page and fill in a form requesting a meeting.
Interviewees don’t come more affable and honest than Mayor, Cllr Elizabeth Baptiste. Pre-interview, she made me feel at ease with small talk of the people we knew in common. But that is for another day.
My special thanks to Eddie Townsend, and Matthew More of Waltham Forest Council.
JD Douglas, is a Cultural ,Political, Social Commentator, Writer, Theatre Producer & Director.
You have a wonderful concept for an online business . It’s like a one stop shop for all goods and services for people of African descent worldwide. Wow! This is most impressive. Would you say this is an accurate description of the aims of Afrisellnet?
Yes, that is right . You can use the term ‘one stop shop for all goods and services’ for people from the African diaspora . We are promoting products and services as well as showcasing Africans and Afro-Caribbean products, businesses and talent to the rest of the world. Through trade we aim to facilitate community engagement.
When did you launch? Which regions are showing the most interest and activity?
We have just launched on 30th March 2021. So, we are barely 2 months old. We are still in the process of promoting the Afrisellnet brand. There has been a lot of interest. I have been in discussions with people expressing interest to advertise but it takes time to build up the viewing figures and confidence.
Do you think there has been enough awareness about the launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the trading potential of a market of approximately 1.2 billion people across Africa?
There has not been enough information about this free trade area. The African Union and other participating organisations should mount a massive campaign to bring awareness of the organisation and its benefits to Africans and people within the diaspora.
You have established non-commercial aims for Afrisellnet directed at building community spirit, cohesion and creating educational opportunities for people of African heritage. How do you plan to achieve this?
We plan to do this through collaboration. Afrisellnet cannot achieve this aim alone. This is why we encourage everyone to join in the discussion and share their knowledge. We need people willing to help their communities. It is true that Afrisellnet has initiated the platform, but it belongs to every one of us.
We encourage people to sign up and give advice to those who need it. In these communities, there are different people with different talents, different education levels. So imagine if we put all of this together and share our knowledge. How much difference we can make to people’s lives. The forum to generate discussion is free to use. We encourage participants to dedicate their time.
Your background and expertise in online cyber security puts you in an excellent position to manage a global platform such as Afrisellnet. Cyber security is an ever-present concern for internet users. In light of the current privacy breaches by big tech companies, do you believe that security can be achieved for everyday users?
This question has two answers.
- First is to focus on providing help for users on the Afrisellnet website.
There is no right answer when it comes to online security and privacy. The only effective way is to keep users safe and educate them on online security, privacy issues on the dangers around them. It is like teaching children not to talk to strangers. They say prevention is better than cure.
In my private blog, I educate people on basic knowledge of online safety. Criminals are constantly looking for vulnerability. They do not care if you are a tech guru, individual or company. Alas, the pandemic has contributed to a surge in online crime.
In terms of concerns around data protection. As a company, you can be assured that we are collaborating with other tech companies to protect users’ data. The website is managed and maintained by a hosting company that keeps an eye on the performance and the security aspect.
We also have a data protection policy in place, which is protected by law. We have gone to great lengths to reduce and minimise the amount of the risks.
- The second answer is about big tech taking advantage of users and selling them as commodities.
This is a common situation. Have you wondered why after talking on the phone with someone, as soon as you hang up, an advert pops up showing the same product you were talking about? It looks like the phone is listening to your conversation.
These adverts you see are based on the information they have about you, the interest you have shown to similar products. Whereas it is easy for law or enforcement authorities to track down and fine small companies like Afrisellnet if they breach privacy laws. But at the same time, big tech companies take advantage of users’ data without paying . They have the money and resources to silence the story and blame the users themselves for being reckless. This can have a negative impact on a small company like Afrisellnet.
Yet big tech companies are not doing more damage than cyber criminals- the online predators whose role is to sabotage personal data and information by selling it on the dark web. Companies like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter offer free resources to educate users on online safety while using their platforms.
We are living in a new era where we cannot go off the internet. Even if we do, we will still face challenges. We depend on smart homes and gadgets used in houses which may expose personal information that can be harvested or exploited by criminals. Most people use a smart television, a smart fridge, a smart meter. These gadgets contain microchips that store our personal data.
Finally, Afrisellnet has big ambitions. What is your idea of success for the company?
To bring the community together and be able to build strong relations to aid development, support and growth in five years’ time.
To encourage members of the African diaspora to be close to their culture.
Our aims include educating the youth on the benefits of settling in African countries and the endless potential offered by the continent. By doing so it will shine a more positive light on Africa and attract more investors.
We want to create an environment for youths to learn soft skills, African traditional ideals based on respect, moral and ethical values in order to bring about community cohesion and build strong relations that will lead to personal development and growth.
We wish to offer parenting courses in order to reduce youth crime and violence. For this, we intend to collaborate with professionals to achieve the best results.
For more information contact: [email protected]; https://afrisellnet.com/
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In Conversation with Ekow Eshun at the Southbank Centre
To say he is the man of literature at the moment would be an understatement. His latest book, Black Leopard, Red Wolf, is listed on America’s Black History month highly recommended list. His third book which came out in 2014, won him the Man Booker Prize, the second West Indian to win this august award after V.S. Naipaul in 1971.
A Brief History of Seven Killings, has had so much accolades lauded in its direction that I will choose only two and let you fill in the imagined others. Irvine Welsh wrote “The most original novel I have read in years. A haunting incendiary work”. The Sunday Telegraph wrote, “A vivid novel that deserves all the praise that it received”.
In 2014, the book also made the recommended list of reading by all the leading publications including, Amazon, Time, Washington Post, Wired, Wall Street Journal Seattle Times, and BBC Culture. Yes it would be the book that brought Marlon James to world prominence. Like all over-night sensations, the real story is hidden for those who prefer their narrative fairly-tale style.
At age 34, in 2005 his first novel was published. The title John Crow’s Devil. The book had been turned down no less than 70 times. A biblical Struggle in a remote Jamaican Village in 1957.
He was born in Jamaica on November 24th 1970. Both his parents were policemen and introduced him to literature at an early age. His father introduced him to Shakespeare and Coleridge. Soon he would move on to Dickens and other English writers. His love of English writers led him to a love of most things English. Indulgently loving bands like, the Smiths and films like Monty Python’s Life of Brian.
However he sites reading Salman Rushdie’s Shame, as the book that gave him belief and a path to his own voice. “Its prose was audacious, it’s so unhinged, that you didn’t see at first, how pointed political and just plain furious it was. It made me realise, that the result is something I could write myself out of”.
Before starting A Brief history of Seven Killings, I decided to re-watch Who shot the Sheriff, a documentary covering the same ground and then back to Seven Killings. Within a few chapters Marlon James’ characters including Artie Jennings, 14 year old Bam Bam, whose mother is a prostitute, Nina Burges-a light skin Jamaican and gangsters with names like Josey Wales, seem to be telling their stories like they are pitching for their lives to be Hollywood bio pics. The language is harsh, unsentimental, volcanically unrelenting, in your face, take it or leave it attitude and insightful. It takes time for the reader to adjust to this higher level of honesty.
But James can also be a conundrum. Over the years he has spoken and written about his confused sexuality, referring to himself as “narratively promiscuous”. Yet most of his male Jamaican characters seems to be going out of their way to express homophobic language, and tendencies. Almost every male character is referred to as battyman.
One writer, wrote believe the hype it is real, as much as I wanted to laugh and ignore the statement, it was said with accuracy and truth. Is Marlon James a special writer? Is he in a class of his own? Is he someone who will last the test of time beyond his generation? Definitely yes to all of the above. That is why I recommend attending his audience with Ekow Eshun – a must go to event.
Preview by JD Douglas
Event: Marlon James will be talking with Ekow Eshun on Monday, February 25th 2019
Where: The Southbank Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hall
Time: 7.30pm
For more Information: https://southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/131527-marlon-james-black-leopard-red-wolf-2019
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She’s back by popular demand! Ms Nina Kristofferson, actor, writer, singer, director and producer, revives her highly acclaimed show ‘Billie Holiday Story’ for the London stage. As she prepares for the big night, Diversity Business stole a moment to speak with the actress to find out what fresh aspects about the legendary singer she has managed to bring to light to engage new audiences. Listen here to a recording of the interview.
For details about the show contact: https://twitter.com/nkbillieholiday
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Diversity House is hosting an event alongside LAPCEL (Learning Alliance for Palliative and End of Life Care) on Friday 1st February 2019.
End of life care is about living as well as possible during the last days and most importantly it’s about dying with dignity. Do you know how to access this information about end of life and palliative care, are you aware of who to speak to and what to expect from palliative and end of life care services?
There is concern amongst health care professionals regarding the very low numbers of ethnic communities accessing End of life and palliative care services. We want to understand why and increase the numbers so everyone has the right support and information. We aim to spread the message of End of life care, especially among young and older people who are from African, Caribbean and Asian communities.
Who should attend: If you are or know someone who is approaching the end of life or you know or are caring for someone who has a life-limiting condition or you are just curious and would like further information? BOOK HERE
We use storytelling and arts and crafts to enable a warm and welcoming event. In addition, there will be a panel of experts who will be able to answer any questions you may have. Free Lunch will be provided.
BOOK NOW via Here to secure your place.
For more about the seminar contact: [email protected]
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There was a certain buzz in the air at The Voice Black Business Fair, held at Lambeth Town Hall in Brixton. So many entrepreneurs and business owners squeezed into the venue to set up stall and showcase their goods and services. The atmosphere was vibrant with animated exchanges of deals and contacts by a diverse range of businesses. The event certainly proved that business is booming in the black community.
Ugochukwu Ezeji, founder of Tickson Accessories, specialises in handmade beaded accessories made to decorate the whole household. From key rings to place mats and so many more items, the traditional African art of bead making has been brought alive with Ezeji’s interpretations. It was also refreshing to see a guy at the helm of this ancient craft. To find out more about ‘Tickson Accessories’ log onto twitter @ Tickson or Instagram @Tickson.
The Change Nigeria Project is a social enterprise connecting the diaspora communities between Britain and Nigeria. At its heart is a mission to empower young people in Nigeria with employability skills and practical work experience. The figures towards achieving these goals have so far been impressive. Though only established since 2016, the Project has transformed the lives of 63% of young people on the programme who have retained or completed work placements in Nigeria: It has returned 24% to education and supported 13% to secure job offers as a result of gaining a work placement.
The Founders say that they are doing their utmost to reverse the trend of rising unemployment in a country that is now considered to be the ‘Poverty Capital ‘of the world surpassing India. If you would like to ‘change Nigeria’ and make a difference to a young person’s life then visit the website:
https://www.changenigeriaproject.co.uk/donate-now/
This happy couple pictured (above) have come up with the beautiful idea of producing plates, cups and other table ware imprinted with deigns inspired from Africa. The founders of Attah Designs noticed a gap in the market and wanted to offer a selection of products that would not only decorate but educate people on the history of Africa’s broad heritage. Like the enterprise above, a percentage of the proceeds go towards supporting development activities across African villages. To find out more check out their website: https://www.attahdesigns.com/
Nolz Health Goalz provides comprehensive health care support and advice for those wishing to improve their health. A graduate in Science in Nutrition and Sports Science, the founder Anoli is keen to spread programmes that promote overall well-being. “After eight years of studying bio-chemistry, I became very passionate on the role nutrition and exercise has on the body” and has created a programme combining diet, nutrition and physical activities. Even skincare products which boast the purest of ingredients are offered as part of the integrated, everyday health regime. More about Nolz Health Goals can be found on: http://www.nolzhealthgoalz.com/contact/
Now which little girl would not enjoy receiving a ‘Biankha’ for Christmas or as a present on any other celebration? With the slogan: ‘Empowering little Princesses to become Queens’, the CEO of ‘Biankha and Friends’, Charlotte Francis realised there were a shortage of dolls reflecting African and Caribbean experiences. She created a series of figures with the aim to “educate and encourage young girls to embrace their culture and heritage, whilst succeeding in a modern and ever changing society, through dolls, role play, books, animation and everyday items.” The range of dolls was borne starting with, ‘Natural Biankha’ who is “comfortable within her own skin and embraces her beautiful afro”: ‘CEO Biankha’ – “a strong, fierce, driven girl who knows what she wants in life and isn’t afraid to go and get it.” Coming soon are Queen Biankha and Traditional Biankha, all of whom represent positive role models for the modern girl of colour. More on Biankha and Friends can be found on website: https://www.biankhaandfriends.com/
For the creative child, the brand Simkray Art and Design, is just what is needed to let young imaginations go wild. The founder Simone Smith, a graduate of Art School wanted to provide comics, prints, animations with content including black people. Browsing on the Simkray website customers are encouraged to interact with the fantasy characters created as animations and comics. Or as Simone Smith, the founder would put it, you are encouraged to ‘Get your Kray-On.’ You can also shop for the latest T-shirts and prints from the portfolio of items: https://www.simkray.london/
The Afro Business Empire aims to connect black businesses around the world through its online directory. It’s an ambitious project for any small business but for the founders it has been a labour of love. “We asked ourselves what we could do to help drive collaborative working within the black community, with a view to empower, celebrate our successes and build a robust & cohesive network. From this passion and dream came the start of Afro Business Empire. ”
Registration onto the website is completed in three easy steps which then allows your business to become part of a powerful, global network: https://afrobusinessempire.com/index.php
For any of the businesses featured above please visit the websites listed.
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It was a night to remember at the Be Mogul Business Awards on 22nd November when the brightest entrepreneurs from the African and Caribbean community proudly stepped out to celebrate their achievements.
Sponsored by Nat West, the Be Mogul Biannual Awards held its first event in 2016 and it has certainly come a long way in shining a light on black business in UK.
A total of twenty five finalists were put forward for the big award. The businesses ranged from tech companies, business consultancies, catering and food specialists to enterprises in the health and creative sectors.
The brainchild of Mavis Amankwah from Rich Visions Small Business Enterprises, the ceremony reflects her tireless efforts to promote entrepreneurship and businesses from Black and Ethnic Minority (BAME) communities.
“Sometimes Africans and Caribbeans can be perceived as financially inept and only seek short term reward without adequate investment in the future and in the next generation.” She said.
“The entrepreneurs we feature continue to lead and inspire future entrepreneurs. It is on this basis the BE Mogul has come to be such an integral part of the business awards calendar.” she announced triumphantly during her opening speech.
In the end it was Maureen Mbondia of Dravens Healthcare who was given the BE Mogul accolade. The judges were impressed with her feat of turning over £500,000 in her first year of business and employing over twenty staff members since she started in 2016.
In truth, any of the selected nominees were deserving of the BE Mogul prize. They all told stories of triumph over adversity and displayed the grit and determination to succeed. We congratulate all those featured as well as the organisers and sponsors dedicated to promoting the brightest and best in our business community!
For more about the BE Mogul Awards visit: www.richvisionssb.co.uk
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To say Mrs Gladness Ojo is a busy lady would be to make the biggest understatement. Gladness spins so many plates at the same time, it’s hard to believe that she keeps them spinning with only one pair of hands. She has founded ‘IAMWOMANPRENEUR,’a platform for female entrepreneurs, The ‘African World Business Associates’, a Pan-African business development organisation; written a book and as we learn from the interview, continues to twirl more plates by opening new ventures in pursuit of her highest ambitions. The following passage reveals how all these enterprises fit into her great plan to connect and support women attain their goals on a global scale.
I tend to be busy working on my businesses which include; ‘The African World Business Associates’ (TAWBA) which is an organisation that supports business development in Africa with the aim of encouraging the diaspora in “Doing Business in Africa, Making Global Impact”. The Vision is to bridge the gap in doing business between the diaspora community overseas and Africa. Our mission is to have subsidiary organisations in the continent; we have started with my home country Tanzania by launching ‘Tanzania Business Club’. These are my two businesses alongside ‘GSO Business Solutions East Africa Limited’ which is the administrative body in Africa that hosts events, ‘Introducing the African World Business Associates’ and its subsidiaries. Last but not least is my personal brand IAMWOMANPRENEUR which is a coaching and mentoring business I started to support female entrepreneurs. The IAMWOMANPRENEUR Network empowers female entrepreneurs to fulfil their purpose in life by learning how to harmonise life, family and business successfully, a life of purpose, passion and profit in their businesses.
You have recently come back from a trade fair in Tanzania, East Africa called ‘Saba Saba’. What did you hope to achieve by going. What new insights did you discover?
‘Saba Saba’ is the ‘Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair’, it’s one of the biggest annual business convention in East Africa and I was there to support my team in Tanzania as we exhibited at the event, it was a great experience.
My aim was to get exposure of “Doing Business in Africa & Making Global Impact”, as my company had just newly launched in Tanzania. I also wanted to network with entrepreneurs and businesses and learn more about the business ethics and values in Tanzania. I got a lot more than I expected from the trip, it was a success.
The event was about networking, showcasing of businesses in Africa as participants (exhibitors) and alone included organisations from over 25 countries. People visited from all over the world. ‘Saba Saba’ itself is a celebration of the founding of Tanzania’s political party known as TANU which is on the 7th of July so we had a lot more people attend on that particular day; generally it was a successful event for Tanzania Business Club and we hope to participate in the next event.
Whilst I was there, I gained a lot of insight into the need for IAMWOMANPRRNEUR in Africa as well as my other organisations as I saw great opportunities for doing business in Africa. I met many female entrepreneurs with passion for business expansion but limited by their resources, capital and capacity to build & grow their businesses amongst other things. So this was a great opportunity for me to introduce my personal brand as I know there is a demand for IAMWOMANPRENEUR in Tanzania and across the globe.
What challenges do they face as women entrepreneurs?
The challenge they face as female entrepreneurs is one that most womanpreneurs face, which is the struggle of juggling business with children, family duties, ministry and other day to day responsibilities and life in general. Moreover, they face other issues limiting the capacity to build their businesses that we in the UK & abroad may not face such as access to advanced technological facilities to run our businesses.
Being a womanpreneur is not easy but it’s worth the journey and these women in Africa are passionate for business & making it work despite their limitations and personal challenges because they see the joy in it. If I use myself as an example, being a female entrepreneur allows me to have a career and still enjoy motherhood and family life. I am able to work from home, work when I want and when I don’t want (lol) but it’s the flexible lifestyle that makes it worth it as it allows me to be involved in my kid’s everyday life but still chase my dreams and live a purposeful life.
One challenge female entrepreneurs face is the lack of good support network and appreciation of their hard work that comes with being a mumpreneur, especially in Africa. One of the main reasons for establishing IAMWOMANPRENEUR in Tanzania is to provide solutions and strategies to tackle these challenges.
I always tell my clients the key to overcoming challenges of juggling business and family life is learning to harmonise the different areas of your life instead of splitting them up. The balance struggle happens when women are separating their entrepreneurial life from their family life when they actually should be in oneness; these are the things I will discuss at my upcoming seminar on 7th Dec 2018 in Dar es Salaam at The National Museum & House of Culture, more information is on my website: http://www.iamwomanpreneur.com
You have a mission to empower women through your coaching business in UK. Is that just in business?
I have a mission to empower women to live a purposeful life. I have seen a lot of women give up on their dreams, desires, goals and aspirations due to what seems like barriers that show up after marriage or life commitments. This is often after becoming a mother as they tend to loose themselves and will quit their wish of becoming entrepreneurs or fulfil their hearts desires in life. So I started a coaching and mentoring service through The IAMWOMANPRENEUR brand which works with clients in the UK & everywhere in the world, teaching them how to successfully harmonise the different areas of life.
We recently appeared on the Women in radio Business Show. You spoke so well. Did you enjoy the experience? Have you thought about other forms of media to get your message across?
Yes, I enjoyed myself very much at the Women in Business Show that was my second time on UK Radio. I have thought of various forms of media to get my message across such as Television (I appeared on TV whilst in Tanzania), I have been on Business Magazines articles in the UK and I have few other things on the pipeline coming up soon so keep a look out on my social media platforms @iamwomanpreneur.
What is the most valuable lesson you have learnt so far? How do you apply it to life or business?
I have learnt that everything happens for a reason, whether it’s a good or bad experience you are going through in business or personal life, take a look at the lesson you can learn from it. There will always be something for you to learn from a bad situation just as much as a good situation. The lesson can only be acknowledged if you are living a purposeful life as your experiences will be in alignment with your destiny. Hence, you have to be a student ready to learn from every situation you are going through in life as these experiences will shape your future.
Things happen so you have the opportunity to gain knowledge about a particular area of life but the problem is people take bad experiences to heart and their emotions get in the way of the truth behind the situation, which is the lesson to be learnt. So how I apply this to my life and business is by looking out for lessons to be learnt in any situation I go through in life, good or bad I know it will help me along the journey of pursuing my purpose in life.
What can we expect from Gladness Ojo in the coming months or years?
There is a lot to expect from me in the coming months and years. Currently, l am preparing to travel to host my first international IAMWOMANPRENEUR Seminar on 7th December 2018 in Tanzania and scheduling an online programme for female entrepreneurs for early 2019. Also, I have a business convention planned in UK for The African World Business Associates & a retreat for IAMWOMANPRENEUR next year plus much more.
Moreover, we are working on launching the UK Membership platform for The African World Business Associates and an event for Tanzania Business Club in 2019. Whilst I am in Tanzania we will be having another seminar for The African World Business Associates and seeking to branch out to other East African countries in establishing our subsidiaries for our organisation.
So I have lots on planned for the future as I really just want to ensure I serve my purpose in life which is to empower women and support entrepreneurship development in the world.
For more information contact: [email protected]
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Created to promote awareness of the contribution of Africans in World War One, the exhibition displayed the vast amounts of information, artworks, artefacts and stories that had been unearthed by the project. Using community groups, schools, academia and everyday people across Kent, London and beyond, Diversity House proved that the first world War could no longer be viewed as a ‘White man’s War’ in which Africa had been relegated to the margins.
The reams of research and hitherto unknown stories highlighted Africa’s central involvement and raised the level of her contribution financially, materially and in human input, resulting in heavy loss of lives of men, women and children drawn into the conflict.
Christine Lock, the CEO of Diversity House was at pains to point out that the project was inter-generational, involving children from primary schools to the oldest community members. St Michael’s Junior School played a leading role in challenging the way we remember Africa. They produced poems, poppies in the colours of modern African states and stories of African war heroes including an original play on the life of Walter Tull the first Black Officer in the war. A book containing a manuscript of the play was on sale during the event
Kat Francois put her talents to excellent use and captured the events and sentiments of a people whose sacrifices had been ignored by the very powers which had forced their involvement into a conflict about which they had no say or control.
Much of the research and stories emerging from the project have been recorded in a book ‘We Remember’, on sale at Diversity House. The culmination of the two year project is celebrated in the erection of a memorial dedicated to all commonwealth service men, women and support workers who sacrificed their lives for our freedom. The inauguration ceremony was hosted by Swale Council in partnership with Diversity House on 28th October coinciding with remembrance celebrations worldwide.
For more information and details of the book ‘We Remember’ contact [email protected], www.diversityhouse.org.uk
Amongst the wealth of activities scheduled during Black History Month, was one in particular which may not have garnered the headlines but was no less significant. The event was held at Parliament on Thursday 25th October and coordinated by the well-connected Mercy Gilbert Francis, an active member of the Operation Black Vote team and a Select Committee member of her local Conservative party in Bromley.
Speakers from all walks of life were invited to share their stories about how they overcame challenges, turned around difficult circumstances and made a difference to those around them and the community at large.
Incidentally, we all know that Black History Month was created to redress the lack of black figures represented in our history books. To this goal, so far, the gap is being redressed to the extent that we do not have to keep portraying the same African American figures on posters and publicity images, when we have a good selection of our own UK legends already.
Commencing the programme was a beautiful recital from young members of the Chineke Orchestra, Jesse, James and Michael Francis. The orchestra is an all-black ensemble showcasing the best classical musicians in Europe. The young artistes certainly did the Orchestra proud.
Then an introductory piece from Damel, representing the Humanity for Grenfell campaign, followed. Damel updated the audience on inquiry proceedings which in his words were going slowly and proving to be an “ongoing fight to get to the truth.” Damel was featured in this magazine. (See link https://diversitybusinesspromotes.uk/grenfell-seen-artistic-eye-damel-caryol/).
Shaun Bailey, a rising star in the Conservative party and first black mayoral candidate spoke eloquently of the need to “build networks and mentor just like they do in Indian, Pakistani communities”. He cited mental health and education as the biggest issues facing the community but argued that challenging ‘what others think of us and how we think of ourselves’ is the path to self-confidence and success.
Prof Chris Imafidon is doing just that by building confidence of students from inner cities. Through his charity, he encourages excellence by producing first class students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Prof Imafidon criticises the current education system for being out of touch and operating more like ‘paper mills for certificates ‘ which do not serve current or future generations’. Imafidon believes all children are born geniuses and if given the right tools can achieve greatness. As he says, “one’s postcode should not define one’s brain code!” Prof Imafidon is an Advisor to the government and Leader and Chair of the programme ‘Excellence in Education’.
Dr Clare Anyiam-Osigwe (above) has achieved excellence in her field of health, beauty, film making and communications. Her story is a testimony to the sheer power of perseverance against the odds. Dr Clare was brought up in a care home, yet lived to fulfil her dreams of creating the first vegan friendly beauty products and becoming a certified dermatologist owning a Harley Street clinic. Another first for Dr Clare was achieving her childhood ambition of writing and producing a feature film called ‘No Shade’ which is out in selected cinemas across London. The film deals with colourism, a topic not openly discussed in African and Caribbean communities.
Dr Pauline Long came to UK shores with entrepreneurship on her mind only to be told that the highest role she could achieve was a cleaning job. Sure enough Dr Pauline started as a chamber maid but her ambitions were never dimmed. She launched the charity ‘Feed the Streets Campaign’ using a Beauty Pageant to fundraise after seeing negative images of her native Kenya. The programme has now been rolled out to ten cities and Dr Pauline has received the Innovative Kenyan Award for her efforts. Realising her ambition to work in the entertainment industry, Dr Pauline has promoted Black and Ethnic Minority professionals through the creation of the BEFFTA awards. She has also built her own studios which are now being hired by the big players – the BBC, Netflix, and Channel 4. There’s no stopping the woman who started off as a chamber maid but has reached the heights of her industry.
Marcia Dixon proves she is in it for the long haul, as she marks thirty years in media. Starting off at the Voice Newspaper, Marcia’s path saw her become editor of ‘Keep the Faith, a publication aimed at the Black Christian community. She even started her own PR Company, becoming the first PR business specifically promoting black Christian churches. As Marcia says, “there are few institutions that are completely black owned.” Marcia has worked with the Kingdom Choir who recently sang at Prince Harry and Meghan’s royal’s wedding.
A worthy mention goes to artists Michael Echekoba, whose artworks lined the room and spoke of his struggles to become an artist amongst the backdrop of a conservative Nigerian community. He has co-founded the UK Nigerian Artist Collective. Fellow artist Fudge Hamurg touches on issues of mental health. She is based in Scotland and challenged the exclusive nature of holding most Black History events in London and the South. In the audience, the dramatist Nina Kristofferson could not go unnoticed. She has recently produced and staged the critically acclaimed ‘The Billy Holiday Story’ and is in the midst of penning a show about Nina Simone. More is expected from this unique talent.
In the words of the young mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey who neatly summed up the significance of the occasion when he said, “We need to be everywhere and anywhere raising our voices. In particular we need and deserve to be in Parliament.’ Indeed, there was enough talent and enough history makers that day, raising their voices and shaking the hallowed walls of Westminster for years to come.
For more information contact: [email protected]
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