My Year of Black History

I joined Prospectus with a strong desire to find a work environment where I could wholeheartedly embrace my identity. As simple as that might sound, it has proven to be one of the most profound challenges I’ve faced throughout my career as a young Black African British woman.

I was startled to learn that Black History Month was founded in the UK just 35 years ago. Equally astonishing was the realisation that my birth country, Angola, gained its independence from Portuguese colonial rule on November 11, 1974, when my mother, who is now 50, was just one year old. The concept of colonialism, which we often think of as something that ended centuries ago, is, in fact, only as old as my mother’s lifetime. It is not a distant, historical chapter, it remains fresh and raw.

While there has undoubtedly been great progress, a closer examination reveals that some lives of those directly affected have seen minimal change. For instance, Angolan children are no longer murdered for bearing names in our mother tongue, but the majority including myself are still given Portuguese names, thereby denying their true heritage. These names are given with the hope of securing better treatment in schools, avoiding discrimination in job applications, and escaping societal exclusion.

It is vital to acknowledge the challenges candidates face for simply being themselves where their names or skin colour might overshadow their qualifications and experience. This is something I was grateful to have an open space to discuss during my recruitment to Prospectus, partly due to a commitment to myself to find an environment where conversations are not only heard, but also taken on board. Due to a supportive and kind colleague called Lauren, this continued during my interview with my hiring manager, who openly discussed the challenges behind equal opportunities and the realities of it.

However, diversity goes beyond recruitment, it extends to onboarding and creating a sense of belonging.  It is important to understand your staff and what matters to them beyond their career aspirations. Early conversations revealed my passion for Women and Girls, Disability and EDI (Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion). Although our internal policy suggests that staff should be with the organisation for six months before joining internal committees, my manager recognised its importance to me and facilitated my involvement when the time came.

This allowed me to start conversations early with multiple members of staffs regrading Black identity within the workplace, open and comfortable conversations on our experiences through different lenses. One of the proudest outcomes of these conversations was Prospectus’ signing up to Halo Code. The “The Halo Code is a gender-neutral policy. To embody the spirit of The Halo Code, all staff are encouraged to familiarise themselves with different Afro-textured hairstyles and their cultural significance, and to avoid labelling Afro-textured hair with terms such as messy, unprofessional, or inappropriate.” Personally, it meant freedom to not compromise my identity. 

It meant confidently wearing my natural hair in the office without fearing judgement for its unique growth pattern and proudly using my Kikongo name, Zola rather than my Portuguese name.  I don’t have to wait until it’s October to be proud of who I am or to share it with others.

Prospectus’ dedication to providing a comfortable environment is something to be proud of and replicated throughout the industry. It ensures that Black history and lives are represented throughout the year and not just October.  While there is great importance to celebrate occasions such as Black History Month and Angolan Independence Day, these occasions serve as reminders that acceptance isn’t an everyday experience for me, nor is my history deemed relevant until October.

I have chosen to celebrate my identity daily and encourage everyone to bring their true selves to work. Work should not only be a place where you are seen, but also heard. This, for me, is not limited to a month; it’s a commitment to celebrate Black history throughout the year.