Black History Month 2021 events

Take a look at how we celebrated Black History Month at the University of Hertfordshire last October.

The theme for Black History Month 2021 was ‘Proud to Be’ and was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our diverse community. Black History Month is a time for us all to pause, reflect, learn, and to broaden our understanding and challenge our knowledge and beliefs around black history and culture.

Across the month, we hosted a wide range of events and activities designed to engage, educate and encourage reflection. From keynote speakers to film nights, careers events and our very own carnival parade! We invited our whole community to get involved and join our events.

Contact the EDI Office if you'd like to get involved in Black History Month 2022.

4 - 8 October #BlackisHere

Date	Time	Event	Description	Location
4 October	14.00 - 15.00	Jenny Garrett OBE Keynote talk in collaboration with the Hertfordshire Business School	We kick off Black History Month with our aspiring keynote Speaker Jenny Garrett OBE, award winning career coach, leadership trainer, speaker & author. Introduced by Professor Damian Ward, Jenny will discuss the challenges that black people (particularly black women) face in the corporate sector and how to overcome them. Jenny will also talk about how to manage race-related conversations in unsafe spaces and how to challenge respectfully outside safe spaces.	Microsoft Teams Book your free place to the 'Jenny Garrett OBE Keynote talk'
5 - 31 October	10.00 - 15.00	In Pursuit of Flow - Art Exhibition	Solo exhibition by British-Nigerian artist Adebayo Bolaji.	Art Gallery, College Lane Campus, AL10 9AB For more information or to book tickets to 'In Pursuit of Flow' visit UH Arts
6 October	16.00 - 16.30	Black in Babylon: work and employment in London - HBS (15 mins) Lightning talk and Q&A by Dr Lindsey German	London is known as a diverse and multicultural city. How does that affect work and employment for black people? To what extent do they find themselves heavily concentrated in particular occupations - and how has that situation changed since the first years of post-war immigration? Join the Hertfordshire Business School for a (15 mins) Lightning talk with Dr Lindsey, Senior Lecturer in HRM as she explores race, class, and employment in the capital.	Microsoft Teams Book your free place to the 'Black in Babylon: work and employment in London - talk and Q&A by Dr Lindsey German'
7 October	19.00 - 20.30	Hertfordshire Law School Alumni Q&A panel event	Hear from our alumni and lecturers on how they have embarked on successful careers and business within the legal field. Please join us as they share their journeys with us and inspire us.	N002, de Havilland Campus, Mosquito Way, Hatfield, AL10 9UF Book your free place to the 'Hertfordshire Law School Alumni Q&A panel event'

11 - 15 October #BlackisDiverse

Date	Time	Event	Description	Location
11 October - 11 January		Black is Diverse: Poetry by Ella Otomewo of Young Identity	UHArts are delighted to present the work of poet Ella Otomewo as part of the wider University of Hertfordshire events programme celebrating Black History Month. Ella Otomewo is a poet, performer, and educator who found her voice in the spoken word community; but now writes for both the page and the stage. She has facilitated creative workshops for universities, community groups, libraries, schools, and festivals, and has performed her poetry solo and with Young Identity all over the UK and in Europe. Ella is currently a member of the The Society of Readers and Writers at the Portico Library.	Ella's performance will go live on the UH Arts website on 11 October. This will be available on their website for three months.
13 October	13.00 - 14.00	Hertfordshire Business School 'Black in Academia' panel talk chaired by Ayesha Owusu-Barnaby	HBS Black members of staff, ranging from PhD students to lecturers and professors, will take part in the panel to talk about how they got into academia, what it's like now that they're there, and what guidance they wish they'd had when they first started. We hope that these talks will inspire more of our students to pursue careers in academia.	Microsoft Teams Book your free place to the 'Black in Academia' panel talk chaired by Ayesha Owusu-Barnaby'
14 October	13.00 - 14.00	Hertfordshire Business School Black Alumni in business, chaired by Emmanuella Emovon	Hertfordshire Business School (HBS) former students will talk about their career journeys, placements, businesses and challenges they faced in a panel chaired by Emmanuella Emovon former HBS student, visiting lecturer and Associate Dean at Navitas.	Microsoft Teams Book your free place to the 'HBS Black Alumni in business, chaired by Emmanuella Emovon' event
14 October	18.00 - 22.00	Student Showcase	The Students' Union and Students are working together to create events for meeting likeminded musicians and creatives but also as an opportunity to display the talent that we have right here on Campus.	The Loft, The Forum, College Lane Campus, AL10 9AB Tickets will be available soon. Find out more about our Student Showcase

18 - 22 October #BlackisJoy

Date	Time	Event	Description	Location
18 October	16.00 - 17.00	Decolonising the coffee business with Professor Jonathan Morris and Professor Peter D'Sena	Join HBS for a discussion with Professor Jonathan Morris, author of Coffee: A Global History, and Professor Peter D'Sena in a discussion about decolonising the coffee business.	Microsoft Teams Book your free place to the 'Decolonising the coffee business' discussion event
20 October	13.00 - 14.00	LGBTQ+ Staff network - Reading group (Black Queer Writing)	Reading group every other month for network members. The group will read and discuss some non-fiction writing about Black queer history and the intersections of race, gender, and sexuality.	Network members will receive an invite. Email the LGBTQ+ Staff network to find out how to become a member
21 October	17.00 - 19.00	'Summer of Soul' film screening	Join us to watch a feature documentary about the legendary 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival which celebrated African American music and culture and promoted Black pride and unity. Summer of Soul shines a light on the importance of history to our spiritual well-being and stands as a testament to the healing power of music during times of unrest, both past and present.	N002, de Havilland Campus, Mosquito Way, Hatfield, AL10 9UF Book your free place to the 'Summer of Soul' film screening
22 October	12.00 - 13.00	Planning your career: Discuss barriers and how to overcome them with careers professionals and other students	This session will provide Students with practical tips and information as to how to overcome the barriers that they face as they develop their career.	Handshake Book your free place to the 'Planning your career' workshop
22 October	13.00 - 14.00	Black History Month Lunch time talk with Chizoma Okaro and Liz Babafemi	Join Hertfordshire Business School for a lunchtime discussion with Chizoma Okaro, Director of Human Resources, and Liz Babafemi, HRM Senior Lecturer, as they discuss their professional journeys, challenges, and what it's like now that you're there.	Microsoft Teams Book your free place to the 'Black History Month Lunch time talk with Chizoma Okaro and Liz Babafemi'
22 October	16.00 - 17.30	Black Hair Matters: Conversations about hair	A panel discussion that celebrates black hair and their identity. The conversations will help untangle some of the racial and political undertones associated with black hair, as well as to challenge the notions of perceived standards of beauty.	Zoom Book your free place to the 'Black Hair Matters: Conversations about hair' panel discussion

25 - 29 October #BlackisPower

Date	Time	Event	Description	Location
25 October	13.00 - 14.30	Proud To Be... Advocate and enabler of minority ethnic career success	Delivered by Tinu Cornish from Sea-Change Consultancy, one of the leading diversity consultants in the UK. This session is aimed at individuals and managers who want to become more aware of and able to disrupt barriers to the career progression of minority ethnic people in academia. Tinu has worked with many high profile clients, co-authored reviews on themes such as unconscious bias and has been a driving force for the establishment of a working group on Diversity and Inclusion at Work, sponsored by the British Psychological Society. A powerful speaker, and experienced leader of change frameworks to make workplace inclusion a reality. This session is sure to leave you with something tangible to enhance either your own or the career development of others.	Zoom Book your free place to the 'Advocate and enabler of minority ethnic career success' event
25 October	16.00 - 17:00	Black in Business	Hertfordshire Business School (HBS) have an incredible line up of Black business owners, entrepreneurs, and high achieving industry professionals giving talks and getting involved in panel discussions. The panellist talk about the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, financial management, keeping up your creative side hustle, and getting a job when there is not one.	Microsoft Teams Book your free place to the 'Black in Business' event
26 October	13.00 - 14.00	'Motivation and Resilience' lunchtime talk with Sam Onagoruwa and Ann Campbell	Join HBS for the virtual Motivation and Resilience lunchtime talk with Sam Onagoruwa qualified life coach and Ann Campbell, Pastoral support lead, principal lecturer, student and staff coach. They will explore topics including coping with emotions in busy and difficult times and how to get the best out of your studies. The discussion will provide some techniques to build coping strategies that will be useful in completing your studies this year.	Microsoft Teams Book your free place to the 'Motivation and Resilience' lunchtime talk
26 October	14.00 - 15.30	Advancing race equality as an ally workshop	Within the workshop we will discuss the concept of what an ally is through considering the history allyship and to consider how to be effective in advancing race equality as a white ally.	Microsoft Teams Book your free place to the 'Advancing race equality as an ally' workshop
27 October	15.30 - 16.30	Tor Abrams - How to Build a Happy Life (And Still Make Money) talk and Q&A	Presentation by TEDx Speaker, former google employee and multiple business founder, Tor Abrams. Tor overcame a social anxiety diagnosis at age 16 and has gone on to be earning six figures a year in his twenties. He will share advice on how you can pursue both money AND happiness. He will cover: - Determining whether you should pursue money or happiness at this stage in your life - Entrepreneurship vs. 9-5 jobs vs. Multiple incomes - Affects of his race on his ability to make money/overall happiness -Managing your mental health and wellbeing - How to use money to benefit your life in the long term - Book recommendations - Q&A session	Microsoft Teams Book your free place to the 'Tor Abrams - How to Build a Happy Life (And Still Make Money) talk and Q&A'
28 October	13.00 - 14.00	The Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic mentoring scheme Q&A session	The Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic mentoring scheme Q&A session, will give potential participants, who would like to participant in the scheme an opportunity to gain more information about the scheme. The Q & A session will give potential participants a better understanding of the scheme from mentees and mentors first-hand. Participants will have the opportunity to ask mentees and mentors questions about their experiences of the scheme. The session will be facilitated by the lead on the scheme Joseph Aninakwa L&OD Facilitator, HR.	Microsoft Teams Book your free place to the 'The Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic mentoring scheme Q&A session'
28 October	16.30 - 17.30	Why 56 Black Men are posing in hoodies	Hertfordshire Business School's Black History Month events will come to a close with a keynote speech from Cephas Williams, founder of the ground-breaking '56 Black Men' campaign. He will talk about the '56 Black Men' project and his other initiatives, as well as the challenges that black boys and men face in the business world and how to overcome them. He will also talk about how to challenge stereotypes.	Microsoft Teams Book your free place to the 'Why 56 Black Men are posing in hoodies' talk
29 October - 30 October	10.00 - 18.00	African Pop Up Market	Taking place in the De Havilland Refectory next to the Sports Village on Friday and Prince Edward Hall on Saturday. There will be lots of African Inspired products for sale; African print dashiki shirts for men, women and children, Jollof spices. African inspired accessories for men, women and children, African bead bracelets, African black soap and shea butter for skin and hair. The Refectory will be selling African street food on the Friday. On Saturday there will also be live music, drumming, dancing and fashion show with catwalk in the afternoon. Free Entry to Pop-Up Market. Everyone is welcome.	Friday 29^th October 2021 Refectory, De Havilland Campus, Mosquito Way, Hatfield, AL10 9EU Saturday 30^th October 2021 Prince Edward Hall, College Lane, Hatfield, AL10 9AB
29 October	14.00 - 15.00	Discovering Josephine Baker	In November 2021, Josephine Baker will become the first black woman to to be inducted into Paris' Panthéon mausoleum. International performer, member of the Red Cross and the Résistance, civil rights and anti-racist activist and beloved French icon. This session is an open discussion about her life and how the media has chosen to portray her across the decades from different international perspectives.	Zoom Book your free place to the 'Discovering Josephine Baker' discussion
29 October	16.00 - 17.00	What's in a name: Call me by my name'	UH Alumni Fransceca Mosanya will be sharing findings from her research on ethnically diverse names. An exploration into the potential effects and impacts that the indexical bleaching of names can have on black British students. Research shows that having an uncommon name can cause anxiety and alienation.	Zoom Book your free place to the 'What's in a name: Call me by my name' talk
29 October	13.00 - 19.00	Herts Carnival	To end BHM we want to celebrate and bring staff and students together on campus. We will take a parade route around College Lane, starting on Hutton Lawn, with a carnival vibe. Attendees will be encouraged to dress up or bring their nations flag to represent, as we walk around campus. There will be some music along the route and we will end the parade with some food trucks and music.	The Hutton Lawn - Butler Walk, College Lane Campus, AL10 9AB Tickets will soon be available. Find out more information about the Herts Carnival.