October in the UK is not just about the weather turning colder and leaves falling from trees; it holds a more profound significance in our cultural calendar. Black History Month is a dedicated time to celebrate the invaluable contributions of black individuals to British society. This year, the theme is "Saluting our Sisters," shining a spotlight on the crucial role that Black women have played in shaping history, inspiring change, and building communities.
During this month, we wanted to amplify the voices of some remarkable black role models from iCAN. They shared their thoughts on why it's essential for everyone to celebrate Black History Month, what the theme means to them, and how allies can contribute to this celebration.
"As the son of two Jamaican immigrants to the UK, this month is an opportunity for us as a family to remember the challenges and sacrifices of those before us, but more importantly to celebrate their achievements and huge cultural impact."
"Black History Month is an opportunity to reflect on the achievements and resilience of Black individuals and communities throughout history, and recognise that Black history is British history."
"We have to celebrate our superwomen at every opportunity we get! The experience of black women in society is different to the experience of other minority groups, and I feel stereotypes of 'angry or problematic black women' has caused an immeasurable amount of damage when, in reality, that isn’t the case. Our sisters, mums, aunties, friends are strong-willed in a society that tries to pull them down, resilient in a society that tries to dim their light on an almost daily basis, and are unapologetically themselves in a society that tells them they have to hide important aspects of themselves such as their natural hair. Let’s celebrate our Queens all year round, starting with Black History Month this month."
"This year's theme was a wonderful opportunity to highlight and celebrate the particular intersectional challenges faced by our Sisters. I recently joined the Google for Black Founders Programme and connected with some peers who are founders of startups, and we celebrate each other."
"Black progression looks like black professionals being increasingly visible and feeling the sufficient sense of psychological safety to show up as their authentic selves in the workplace. Over the past few years, it is visible that there is growth, albeit slow growth, in representation at senior and executive positions in insurance organisations. But organisations must be better about sharing transparent evidence of this growth in representation by collating and publishing statistics and to improving the pipeline of both young practitioners and more experienced hires."
"Since starting my career in insurance in 2003, I have seen a lot of change. A combination of greater connectivity through technology and reminders of the challenges we still face, such as the George Floyd murder, have allowed black professionals (and those of other minority groups) to find each other and work together to address the challenges of open discrimination and unconscious bias. It has also given people a lot more confidence to speak out and push for change. To him, the progression of black professionals' careers in the insurance market is a combination of wider acknowledgment, the development of allyship, building confidence in the black community itself, and creating platforms for change. We're not done yet, though!"
"Listen to and elevate Black voices and engage in meaningful action that supports Black people. This could include advocating for diversity and inclusion in their organisation, supporting Black-owned businesses, and amplifying Black creators, artists, writers, and activists."
"I think black history isn't as important as black futures. If I had the power to shape the narrative, I would propose the creation of a Black Futures Month, following Black History Month. It represents a move from dwelling on the unchangeable past and instead focuses on creating an extraordinary future. Personally, I strive to be a driving force behind this transformative change, extending an invitation to both allies and black professionals to join me on this journey. Together, we can shape a future that surpasses the limitations imposed by history and create a world where we all flourish, no matter what colour we are."
In conclusion, whilst it is always important to recognise and celebrate our collective histories it is much more important to focus on creating a more inclusive future where everyone can thrive – and remember, the month is purely for awareness, but we should be celebrating and acknowledging all year round.
To read my thoughts on awareness months – see https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/uk/news/columns/celebrating-diversity-or-boxchecking-457495.aspx
To learn more about iCAN – please visit www.i-can.me
