October 27, 2025
At All We Can, marking Black History Month (BHM) is more than an act of remembrance – it is an act of commitment. It is about honouring the past, challenging injustices in the present, and shaping a fairer future for all. As Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Champions, we see this moment as a vital opportunity to reflect on our shared history, listen to diverse perspectives, and act on what we learn.
BHM matters because it brings to light the people and voices that have too often been erased from the narrative. Our Engagement Officer and EDI Champion, Paul Richards, explains that it is ‘a chance to listen to and learn untold stories, and to challenge the narrow version of British history [we were] taught.’ It calls us to look beyond what we think we know – with humility and curiosity – recognising that change begins with awareness, and that our shared history is far more interconnected than we might imagine.
For All We Can, this is essential – because our work is rooted in partnership. We walk alongside local organisations in underserved communities across Africa, each shaped by its own experiences of colonialism, resilience, and renewal. Celebrating Black history helps us engage with these contexts more authentically, with a deeper understanding of the legacies that continue to influence inequalities around the world today.
David Thomson, our CEO, reflects that BHM is ‘a moment each year to honour the struggles and celebrate the achievements of Black people throughout history – people who fought, created, dreamed, and persisted against overwhelming odds.’ For him, and for us, it is about acknowledging that the freedoms and rights we enjoy were hard-won through sacrifice – and accepting our responsibility to carry this forward as active allies in the pursuit of what is right.
This message resonates globally. As our Country Representative for Liberia, Benedict Seekey, observes, BHM ‘holds deep significance for me… Liberia’s very existence is a living testament to the struggles and triumphs of Black people seeking freedom, dignity, and self-determination.’ The impact of celebrating Black history reaches far beyond national borders and generations, reminding us that progress anywhere strengthens justice everywhere. This is a collective story we all share and have the power to shape – one that speaks to the humanity and hope that connect us all.
But it is not enough to look back – we must also look within ourselves and our society. For Jaipreet Kaur, our Executive Head of Public Engagement and Philanthropy, this time is ‘about reflecting on the past, acknowledging the ongoing realities of racism today, and actively working towards a future where the wounds of history are healed.’ Her words underscore the need for commemoration to lead to tangible action if we are to bring about lasting change.
At All We Can, we mark BHM because EDI is not something we do once a year – it is embedded in everything we encounter. Because our work with partners depends on relationships built on mutual respect, accountability, and solidarity. Because our commitment to seeking justice demands that we continue to remember and uplift the richness of Black history – not only in October, but every day.
By celebrating Black history, we live out our values of love, collaboration, and courage. We confront the full truth of our shared history and carry forward the lessons that make our partnerships, and our world, stronger.
This BHM, we invite our supporters, partners, and communities to join us – to reflect, listen, and act. Together, we can help build a more just world rooted in love, collaboration, and courage for all.
Black History Month is a time to celebrate and consider the resiliency and power of Black people across the globe. Year in and year out, we should have an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on the persistent strength, resilience, and countless contributions that Black people all over the world continue to make. This year, ‘Standing Firm in Power and Pride’ is particularly meaningful to me as a Sierra Leonean; it holds special significance because it celebrates the people and spirit of my native land, our nation, and across the continent of Africa.
I am steeped in my internal history, led by an inheritance that spans generations behind me, one that I believe has helped to integrate the black experience, not just in Sierra Leone, but more widely. To me, this is more than a theme celebrating success; it’s an acceptance and appreciation of the harsh injustices, sacrifices, and, yes, survival that brought us to this point and shape my Sierra Leonean identity, as well as my place within the broader global Black community.
For many Sierra Leoneans, resilience is not something strange; it is a way of life. Our story, one of beauty and tragedy alike, is a tale of resilience clawed out from decades of colonialism, civil war, and generations of systemic disempowerment. As a nation founded by formerly enslaved people in the late 18th century, Sierra Leone has tales of those who found freedom and helped build a nation. And yet, with such a tangled history, we have survived.
The smallest is the fact that Sierra Leoneans have already seen, and survived, one bloody war that descended on the country in the 1990s. It was a time of unimaginable grief, but also one of incredible solidarity, healing, and renewal. Sierra Leoneans emerged from the wreckage, people who had survived the conflict and defiantly chose hope over despair, unity over divisiveness. And this ability to hang tough in the face of those unfathomable odds is the essence of standing in power and pride.
As a West African country, Sierra Leone also falls within this larger tapestry. We are part of a continent that is, it must be said, the birthplace of some of the world’s great cultural, intellectual, and revolutionary ideas that have helped to illuminate humanity’s progress. Consider the influence of leaders who championed Pan-Africanism, such as Kwame Nkrumah, whose vision for unity and freedom resonated across Africa, or movements in this country and the Caribbean, including the Black Power Movement.
During Black History Month, I remind myself that the source of strength of black people is not confined to a single country, such as mine. The final goal is global, woven into the narratives of those struggling in the Caribbean, America, and Brazil, and at every point on earth, history unfolded as Africa’s children stood their ground and demanded an equality they had so long been denied. We are strong in power and pride. Standing Firm aims to acknowledge the strength of many, on oceans and across continents, and retention should be dedicated to a background replete with surviving colonial patriarchy.
Pride is a big part of the theme this year, and it’s something I take very seriously. Far too often, the history of Black people, and even more the Africans among them, has been reduced to a story of slavery, colonialism, and poverty. But there is so much more to who we are and where we are from.
We Sierra Leoneans respect our culture and tradition; we are indeed resilient. “Our dances, our spoken phrases, our music, and that community togetherness, you can’t take a Sierra Leonean out of anyone.” Then, for some of us, we have the benefit of inheriting a base of absolute strength, pride, and a sense of self-confidence that could not be broken because our ancestors continued to struggle through slavery and colonization.
As I ponder the theme, what’s coming through is how crucial it is for us as Black people to not just acknowledge the challenges we face, but also to acknowledge the moments of brilliance, creativity, and sheer tenacity that have always existed within us. In art, in activism, in everyday acts of kindness and resistance like these (which are vital for our own sakes, but also because the next generation, who will be looking back at everyone and everything we do with both courage and might to shape a home under).
Looking ahead, as I reflect on what this Black History Month and the theme mean to me as a Sierra Leonean, “the importance of standing in that power and pride transcends paying homage to our past in black history; instead, it is looking at our past through the lens, which we will dominate the future.” It’s about standing in solidarity, lifting up our communities, and demanding justice and equality for not only ourselves but all those Black people across the world.
This is our history; this is our future. And as we celebrate Black History Month, let’s stand resolute in our collective power and pride, knowing that it is through our strength, unity, and values that we will build a better future.
I love this year’s Black History Month theme as it resonates so aptly with me. Standing Firm in Power and Pride is not only a celebration of our collective history but also a reminder of the unshakable resilience and brilliance that flows through the Black community globally. The words themselves, ‘standing firm’, evoke strength, courage, and an unyielding spirit that our Black forefathers demonstrated in the face of unimaginable adversity. Their determination, sacrifice, and unwavering belief in equality paved the way for the opportunities and freedoms we can now access, privileges that were once denied to our community.
Standing firm in power speaks directly to that legacy of strength and perseverance. Power, in this context, is not merely about influence or status, but about inner resolve, the quiet yet unbreakable determination to rise above challenges, to reclaim identity, and to shape our destiny. This history transformed pain into purpose, struggle into song, and resistance into revolution. Their power was rooted in unity, faith, and the refusal to be silenced. As a result of this, I, along with my black sisters and brothers, have a voice, standing empowered to build, create, and lead.
Standing firm in pride reflects the confidence and readiness that comes from embracing who we are: fully, unapologetically, and joyfully. Pride in the Black experience is about acknowledging our history, our culture, and our contributions with honour. It is about standing in the truth of our identity, refusing to let stereotypes or prejudice define us. To me, standing firm in pride means recognising the richness of our roots, from the rhythm of African drums to the brilliance of Black innovation and artistry across the world. It’s about knowing that our history is not only filled with struggle but also with victory, beauty, and excellence.
Celebrating resilience and strength means amplifying Black voices, past and present, whose influence has shaped the world we live in. From activists and artists to educators and entrepreneurs, the contributions of Black individuals continue to inspire global change. Our stories are powerful reminders of what it means to overcome, to thrive, and to lead with purpose. The resilience of the Black community is not only found in historic milestones but also in everyday acts of courage; mothers raising strong families, young people breaking barriers, and communities supporting one another against all odds.
When I think of Black achievements, I’m most inspired by Black leading ladies such as Michelle Obama, a woman who embodies grace, intelligence, and empowerment. Through her advocacy for education, health, and well-being, she has shown the world what it means to be a leading lady. Her journey reminds us that standing firm in power and pride begins with self-belief and the courage to uplift others.
This theme reminds us that Black history is not confined to the past; it is alive in our present and shapes our future. As we continue to stand firm in power and pride, may we honour those who came before us, celebrate who we are today, and inspire generations to come.
I am grateful for the opportunity Black History Month presents to intentionally pause to honour the struggles and celebrate the achievements of Black people throughout history. People who fought, created, dreamed, and persisted against overwhelming odds. It reminds me that the freedoms and rights that are enjoyed today were not given. They were earned through courage, resistance, and sacrifice. It is also a time for learning, and a month that inspires me to carry that legacy forward as an anti-racist ally.
This year’s theme, ‘Standing Firm in Power & Pride,’ encourages us to look back on the past but also calls upon us to look ahead to the future and see what is needed in the months and years ahead. This is particularly pertinent when, in many parts of the world, progress is being rolled back. This year marks 60 years since the UK’s first Race Relations Act, a landmark moment in the ongoing journey towards racial justice and equality. But there is much more to do.
This year, we have a timely prompt about the need for and the power of protest. I am reminded that across Britain’s modern history, Black activists have spoken out, stood firm, and demanded change. They organised boycotts, led campaigns, built networks, and changed systems that denied justice. Their courage shifted opinion, reshaped laws, and inspired new generations to act.
The legacy of these Black activists shapes me as I seek to be the best anti-racism ally I can. It is a pleasure, as well as a challenge, to interrogate my own power, privilege and bias. It is an honour to collaborate with others to actively oppose systemic racism, working together to advocate for change in political, social, economic, and cultural life.
I also have the privilege of leading All We Can as we strive for a world where every community has the power, dignity, and resources to lead their own future! We recognise that we are all made in the image of God, each worthy of equal value and dignity. God wills the flourishing of creation and human community within it. We believe that in solidarity with others, we are called to challenge injustice, dismantling structures that perpetuate inequality. Seeking racial justice is central to this.
We recognise that power and resources are often held in the wrong hands, which holds individuals, local organisations, and communities back. We are committed to decolonising aid and philanthropy, supporting models and approaches that shift power into the right hands.
Our commitment to the decolonisation of aid calls upon us to be conscious about the way we use our power, the value we attach to the wisdom in local contexts, and how we challenge injustice in the spaces we live and work. It is this personal conviction that has become a collective commitment for us as All We Can to challenge colonial legacies, power imbalances, and structural racism that undermine equity and local agency.
In practical terms, the decolonisation of aid is both a process and an outcome of transforming our mindsets, behaviours, and practices to actively stop reinforcing narratives and actions rooted in supremacy, racism, marginalisation, and inequality. Instead, we facilitate locally led development across all levels of our work, including within All We Can, partner organisations, and the communities they serve.
We imagine a future where justice, dignity, equality, and shared power form the foundation of development. In this future, communities define their own paths, have the resources to thrive, and are recognised as the rightful leaders of their development.
We choose to be bold enough to imagine this world, and brave enough to build it!
