News articles

RAF Black History Month 2020

The Royal Air Force BAME Network is pleased to announce this year’s theme to mark Black History Month is REWIND PAUSE FORWARD< II >’.

The RAF will be Honouring the past, Pausing in the present and Forging ahead’ together into the next Generation Air Force.

< II > is designed to inform and educate attendees about the contributions made by black Servicemen and women throughout the RAF’s history.

The RAF BAME Network will host a series of virtual ‘Fire-Side chats’, with Guest speakers from a cross-section of society.

These virtual events are open to all MOD and Civilian employees. Information will be available throughout the month of October on Defence and Social Media platforms.

 

Session 4: FORWARD – ASTRA: #NextGenerationRAF - Attracting and retaining talent from black and ethnically diverse communities.

Date: Wednesday 28th October 2020

Time: Lunch and Learn 1200-1330

Virtual: via Zoom

Register via the link: RAFBHM20<II>

Guests:

  • Mr Nero Ughwujabo - Urban Renewal Expert at Future Cities Programme and former No10 Special Advisor to the Prime Minister on Social Justice, Young People and Opportunity
  • Ms Jay Davidson - BBC Content Strategist
  • Ms Leila Thomas - Founder & CEO Urban Synergy
  • Mr Michael Eboda - CEO Powerful Media
  • Acting Pilot Officer Lethbridge - Oxford University Air Squadron (OUAS)
  • Ms Chi-chi Nwanoku OBE, FRAM, HonFTL - Founder and Artistic & Executive Director, Chineke! - & the Chineke! Junior Orchestra

 

Previous sessions:

 

Session 3: PAUSE- ‘Pausing in the present’ Culture, Media and Modern Relations in the Black Community.

Date: Thursday 22nd October 2020

Time: Lunch and Learn 1200-1330

Virtual: via Zoom

Register via the link: RAFBHM20<II>

Guests:

  • The Rt Hon. The Lord Woolley of Woodford - Founder, Operation Black Vote and Chair of the UK Government Race Disparity Unit
  • Ms Angela Ferreira - Managing Director Douglas Road Productions
  • Mr Terry Jervis - Business and Media Entrepreneur
  • Mr Olakunle Babatunde - Entrepreneur and the Trustee and Board Secretary of the Black Cultural Archives London
  • Ms Karen Gibson and The Kingdom Choir

 

Session 2: PAUSE- ‘Pausing in the present’ COVID-19 and its impact on the black community.

Date: Thursday 15th October 2020

Guests:

  • Wing Commander Tosin Talabi MB BS MSc MRCGP DAvMed DFFP DRCOG FCMI FFOM RAF - Consultant in Occupational Medicine
  • Mr Levi Roots - TV Chef, Author & Entrepreneur
  • Ms Norma Ncube MSc, PhD - Finance Partner & MoD BAME Women's Network Chair
  • Mr Richard Etienne - Deputy Head for Internal Communications at the Department for International Trade (DIT) & Co-Chair for DIT BAME Network

 

Session 1: REWIND - ‘Honouring the past’ and our collective heritage.

Date: Tuesday 6th October 2020

Guests:

  • The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC, Baroness Scotland of Asthal- Secretary General of the Commonwealth
  • Mr Ade Adepitan MBE, TV Presenter, Travel Journalist and Great Britain Paralympian
  • Mr Donald Campbell, RAF Warrant Officer Retd. Chair The National Caribbean Monument Charity TNCMC
  • Mr Stephen Bourne, Historian 
  • Dr Harry Raffal, RAF Museum Historian