My name is Daniel Beckley. All my friends call me Big D, Big Man. I am a father, husband and former heavyweight boxer. For the past 12 years I have proudly worked as a security officer at LSE. While working at the university, I founded LSE’s first BME staff network named EMBRACE in 2010. EMBRACE over the last 10 years has represented, celebrated and inspired change for all BME staff at LSE. I also started LSE’s first Skip-fit classes. Which up till today has helped keep fit dozens of staff and students throughout the university.
For me, as a father of three Black men, Young, Black and Gifted means recognising that there is a young generation of Black men and women who have enormous potential to positively contribute to our world. To be the innovators, politicians, academics and entrepreneurs of our future society. For them to get there, they must have the support and encouragement from us, the older generation to help pick them up when they fall or to be a source of motivation when they lack faith. For society to change we need a new generation of leaders who are Black. This generation has the potential. They are young, Black and gifted.