Black History Month is celebrated this month in the UK. At MMCS we wanted to provide some information to educate people about the lived experience of the UK Black community and to celebrate those making a positive change.

She Leads For Legacy – Sharon Amesu, along with her daughter Afiya, have established She Leads For Legacy; a community of individuals and organisations working together to reduce the barriers faced by Black female professionals aspiring for senior leadership and board level positions.

They provide training, peer support and networks to promote racial and gender equality in the workplace, and to amplify the voices of Black Female leaders, and aspiring leaders, who are fostering positive change in their organisations. They work with companies that look to drive change and support black women and their career development.

More information can be found at www.sheleadsforlegacy.com

Pan African Congress, 1945, Manchester – On the 15-20 October 1945, the Pan African Congress took place in Manchester. The 1945 Congress was the most significant politically, coming as it did just months after the end of the Second World War. The war had been fought in the name of freedom, yet around the globe hundreds of millions of people lived in colonies run by Britain, France, Holland and other European powers. A talk about Len Johnson, a boxer and activist who attended the Congress, forms part of Black History Month’s events calendar, more information can be found here.

Black History Month is now an established part of the year. Let’s celebrate its success, by David Olusoga for the Guardian – British historian and author David Olusoga writes about Black History Month in a year that has seen more awareness of the lived experiences of the Black community than ever before.

Janet’s List – Founded by Janet Oganah, Janet’s List is a retail platform that promotes independent businesses owned by Black women and women of colour in the UK. In addition to the online store, Janet also provides training courses on how to set up a business, and with Adonica Simmons, co-hosts the “Making Money Moves” Podcast.