I am Maryane Mwaniki and I have been at LSE for almost 11 years. I am Head of Employer Engagement, Co-Chair of LSE EmbRace and an LSE alum (MSc Human Resources & Organisations).
Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to recognise Black colleagues within the School for this year’s Staff Showcase. Black 365 is saying to our Black colleagues “we see you, we hear you”!
Black 365 means we can show up as our whole and true selves and be heard and seen. It means I can boldly say “I am Congolese and Guinean. I am a Christian. I am married to an amazing Kenyan husband. I love my African heritage and the richness of our history and culture!” and someone will say “Nice, tell me more!”.
It means continuous curiosity about Black culture and Black experiences. It means an appreciation for the nuances and variation within Black heritage – recognising we are not a monolith.
It means being able to talk comfortably and openly about race. It means we don’t have to bring a megaphone and a DIY kit to build our own chair because we don’t have a seat at the table.
Shirley Chisholm said “You don't make progress by standing on the side-lines, whimpering and complaining. You make progress by implementing ideas.” I hope everyone at LSE can be proactive in ensuring we can be Black 365!