Hi everyone! Did you know that the very first ‘Black Leaders Awareness Day’ is fast approaching on the 18th July 2021? No? Well neither did I! I decided to find out a bit more about this special day and what its founder, Veronica Martin, CEO of Aleto and Founder of Beyond Our Youth, is hoping to achieve.
The killing of George Floyd in May 2020 sent reverberations around the world and had a huge impact. Ordinary people felt compelled to act and to find their own way to show that black lives matter; Veronica Martin was one of them. I asked Veronica why she chose to create Black Leaders Awareness Day.
“It’s the first one and the idea was conceived by me during lockdown and especially following the Black Lives Matter campaign. BLAD takes place online and is a way for everyone, especially the next generation to know who past, current and future black leaders are by sharing quotes, case studies and videos of these leaders.”
I think Veronica is definitely onto something here. Words can be pretty powerful, but often what gives them their impact is the person saying them and the sincerity in their delivery. The combination of heartfelt words from someone who might not even realise that they’re a leader, can stir emotions and galvanise people into action, but this can only happen if the words are heard or read. Did you know that the UK has its very own equivalent of Dr Martin Luther King Jnr.? Dr Harold Moody campaigned tirelessly for racial equality in the UK, forming the League of Coloured Peoples in 1931. You can find out more about Dr Moody here.
This is why Black Leaders Awareness Day is so important. There are many unsung and forgotten leaders whose words need to be discovered, as well as new upcoming leaders who need an opportunity to be seen and heard. The 18th July will be an annual way to spotlight these leaders and raise awareness of their words and actions.
Yasmin Pitter
Deputy Director, Higher Education Qualifications, Pearson
Credit for photo reference: PAL Associates