Black History Month – Time for Change: Action Not Words

At ClearBank, we know that the differences between people make us stronger. That’s why we’re committed to fostering a culture where everyone feels welcome. We strive to make every employee feel seen and able to bring their true authentic self into the workplace. As Black History Month (BHM) comes to a close this year, we’ve taken a look back at all the great activities throughout the past month that were led by our fantastic internal Dimensions team who lead our diversity, equity and inclusion programme.

BHM is a celebration that takes place every year since 1987, running throughout the month of October. BHM offers an opportunity to not only celebrate but to learn about achievements and contributions people of African and Caribbean heritage have made to the UK’s history and culture.

This year’s theme is Time for Change: Action Not Words. The purpose of this theme is not just to educate people on Black History, but to inform and empower everyone to be true allies in the anti-racism movement.

‘Black history is British history and something I acknowledge all year round. However, for the month of October we get to celebrate a little louder and capture as many people’s attention as possible to highlight the contributions of black people to our society’.

Monty Onanuga, Senior Risk Manager, ClearBank

Our Dimensions team organised three events: a company-wide meet-wide meet-up, a guest speaker and book club. At our company-wide m meet- the team presented profiles of Black British individuals achieving extraordinary things in our society both past and present.

Guest speaker, Ayo Solake, led a discussion for staff on inclusion, allyship and the continued efforts towards anti-racism. Ayo is a BBC presenter and Chartered Civil Engineer with a passion for dispelling the harmful stereotypes that are attributed to black people and sharing histories often not told.

‘It was a privilege to have Ayo come and speak to ClearBank about her experiences and what we can all do to challenge ourselves to take more action. She facilitated a great discussion; I especially loved her highlighting intersectionality in the experiences of Black British individuals and across so many of our lives.’

Meredith Beeston, FCC Senior Manager, ClearBank

Our closing event is a book club where colleagues will discuss the #1 Sunday Times Bestseller ‘Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race’, written by Reni Eddo-Lodge.

We all know that Black History is to be celebrated all year round, but Black History Month is an initiative that allows time for further reflection, recognition, and the development of such crucial knowledge on the amazing impact that people of African and Caribbean heritage have made to the UK.

Finally, a special thank you to the ClearBank Dimensions team.