Black History Month 2026

Join us for this years Black History Month event. 

Join us for this year’s Black History Month event as we come together to celebrate resilience, identity, and the power found in personal and collective journeys. Throughout the day, we will explore stories of strength, perseverance, and the richness of heritage through a series of inspiring talks, performances, and discussions.

Our lineup features influential voices from across the organisation and wider community, each sharing their unique perspective on this year’s theme, My Journey in Standing Firm: The Power Within.

Speakers will guide us through narratives of rising above life’s challenges, embracing personal identity, finding inner greatness, and using lived experiences to uplift others. The afternoon will include a powerful external performance before closing with a collective Q&A and reflections on the day.

This event aims to empower, educate, and encourage meaningful conversations and honouring the legacy of Black history while highlighting the continued journey toward equality, representation, and strength within our communities.

We look forward to welcoming you to a day of inspiration, learning, and celebration.

The agenda for the day:

09:00 – 09:30 - Everyone meet and settle down + Coffee and Refreshments
09:30 – 09:45 - Introduction to the day from Chief
09:45 – 10:30 – Chair of GEMA, Paresh Bhadeshia - “The Power Within: Rising Above Life’s Challenges”
10:30 – 11:45 – Guest speaker, Raphaelia Finlayson – “Becoming Stronger: How Growth Comes from Standing Firm”
11:45 – 12:30 – Vice Chair of GEMA, Atira Burton - “Knowing My Power: Embracing Who I Am and Where I Come From”
12:30 – 13:15 – Lunch
13:15 – 14:30 - Guest speaker, Matt Jenkins- “Rooted In Greatness: The Inner Power of People Who Never Gave Up”
14:30 – 16:00 - Guest Speaker, Quoc Vo - “Empowered to Empower: Using My Journey to Lift Others”
16:00 – 16:15 – Comfort break
16:15 – 16:45 – External Performance, Mercedes White
16:45 – 17:00 – Q and A and wrap up