Stockland Green Black Excellence Conference: Students rounded off Black History Month by attending an impressive conference – featuring speakers ranging from a successful businesswoman to a TV journalist and Birmingham’s first black Member of Parliament.
Staff at Stockland Green, which is part of the respected Arthur Terry Learning Partnership, arranged the conference on Friday, October 25, as the finale of an exciting Black History Month calendar, following the theme of ‘reclaiming narratives’.
Speaker Kazee Clement, founder and CEO of London-based event company InclusiVision, spoke about her path to becoming a successful businesswoman, and her commitment to fostering inclusion in the workspace. She said instilling a narrative of Black success from an early age is vital.
Kazee said: “I jumped at the opportunity to get involved with the kids today. In my youth, as a Black girl, it was always hard when I didn’t see people who looked like me doing great things.
“I now surround myself with amazing Black individuals doing amazing things – it just shows it is possible. I want these kids to aspire to be great, to dream big and achieve what they set out to.
“Representation in certain industries and areas is very low, so showing Black children their potential has to start when they’re young. Stockland Green doing this now is amazing.”
Activist and community leader Simeon ‘Zimbo’ Moore, who has previously worked with Stockland Green School through his own mentorship scheme, was a familiar face for the students. He shared his experiences of turning his life around after getting mixed up in crime, and emphasised that children from disadvantaged backgrounds can still aspire to greatness.
Simeon said: “I’m a local lad, so I recognise myself when I look at the young people here. I made sure some of the children I mentor were here today, because it meant they saw someone they know and identify with speaking. Many of them hadn’t heard my story before.
“It’s important having those in-depth conversations and showing them where certain attitudes and behaviours might bring them.
“This is something that needs to be done everywhere. This is probably the first time many of the kids have been to a conference, so it gives them a chance to connect with older people and really consider their pathway for the future.”
Lola Lawal, Deputy News Editor at ITV, shared her experience of carving out a career path in an industry in which she saw few Black role models. When she first started in journalism and media, Black faces were few and far between, but she worked her way up the ladder, working for the Birmingham Mail, Ben Television, the Moscow Times, Russia Today, Sky News and eventually ITV.
Lola said: “I saw myself in the kids – especially the young girl at the front taking notes! I saw that passion, hunger and fascination in them – that keenness to find out more.
Stockland Green Black Excellence Conference
“I would have loved to have had this sort of opportunity when I was younger. Representation was hard to find, so just seeing somebody who looked like me, doing exactly what I wanted to do, would have been so motivational and given me the confidence to go after it.
“I want the students to know it’s really important not to let anyone limit you. It can be really daunting trying to get your foot in the door in an organisation. You have to believe in yourself and your passion, and know that you’re going to bring an authentic voice that nobody else has.”
MP speaks at Stockland Green Black Excellence Conference
The students were also given a glimpse into the world of politics by Erdington MP Paulette Hamilton, the first Black MP to represent a Birmingham constituency. With a background in healthcare, she spoke to the students about her commitment to health equality and tackling social injustice.
Paulette said: “It was wonderful to visit Stockland Green School and join an inspiring panel of speakers at their Black Excellence Conference.
“The theme of this year’s Black History Month, ‘Reclaiming Narratives,’ is incredibly important because the stories we tell about our lives can shape the future for generations to come.
“I know that without the Black leaders, mentors and role models who inspired me, I wouldn’t have become Birmingham’s first Black Member of Parliament.
“I hope that by sharing my story, along with the stories of the other speakers, we’ve shown the students that with hard work and determination, they too, can achieve.”
The event was rounded off by an appearance by Ava Sturridge-Packer CBE, an experienced educator who has been working with ATLP’s schools since the start of 2024 to define its equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) strategy.
Ava was a Headteacher for 22 years in Handsworth was awarded a CBE for services to education by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2000.
She said: “I was delighted to support the conference because Stockland Green does not pay lip service to young people and families and is pivotal to breaking down barriers and breaking the glass ceiling in terms of racial diversity.
“The school is authentic and trail blazing in setting a high bar in many aspects of racial diversity and improving the life chances of the global majority young people. This is because it is not about ticking boxes but being authentic in day-to-day practice.
“The conference was the culmination of what happens on a day-to-day basis, throughout the year.”
Ava’s story is the story of many Windrush children. She came to England from Jamaica at the age of five years old and has come full circle encouraging Black children and young people to be the best that they can be. In her opinion, Stockland Green has reclaimed the narrative and the school is a trail blazer for the future.
“I hope that by sharing my story, along with the stories of the other speakers, we’ve shown the students that with hard work and determination, they too, can achieve,”
-erdington mp paulette hamilton
Students from fellow ATLP school West Coventry Academy also attended the event.
The Stockland Green Black Excellence Conference followed a month that included a ‘Life After Sport’ workshop run by Teaching Assistant O’Neill Donaldson, who used to play football for Sheffield Wednesday, and a two-hour hair workshop session taking place for students.
Other highlights includeda two-hour media and documentary workshop and a fitness event.
Twenty students also created a 3D Art installation – made from giant jigsaw pieces – is being created on this day with 20 students who will have been selected as winners of our Black History Month Art competition.
The month of activities were overseen by teacher Merci Gilbert-Barrow and Pastoral Leader Kamisha Blanchette, who were determined to build a month of positive events that went much further than the usual simple assemblies often associated with Black History Month.
Headteacher Rebeca Goode said: “I’d like to thank all of the speakers who came along to our conference, and everyone who made the month such a success.
“The whole month provided a brilliant opportunity for students to celebrate black heritage and culture, with workshops covering everything from hair to music, the written word, spoken word, and art.
“The jigsaw competition was a great example of how the month brought the entire school community together – 400 students entered it, producing beautiful designs, with 21 chosen for the final display. The jigsaw really symbolises how a diverse group can come together and create something beautiful – which was also a message shown by our speakers at the Conference.”
“It’s really important that all children feel they can take part and contribute to the school and the wider world, and their engagement at the Conference demonstrated they’d taken this message to heart.
“We serve an amazing multicultural community here in Stockland Green, and it’s great to celebrate and learn about each other.”