World Afro Day - Workplace

“Innovation for Inclusion”

WAY BEYOND WITH
WORLD AFRO DAY - WORKPLACE

This is the first global training day to tackle hair discrimination in careers and business on September 15th 2023, World Afro Day. This is a giant livestream and in-person event, uniting companies on one day of change.  World Afro Day – Workplace is leading the global charge, followed by a French MP submitting a bill in October to end hair discrimination. While the USA CROWN Act continues to advance and the UK government has also recognised Afro hair discrimination in the Inclusive Britain Report. 

Unfortunately, we know that the majority of businesses need to urgently learn and understand Afro hair inclusion because many of them may be breaking the law, like the recent Ritz London case and Doncaster children’s homes. Our pioneering research with Shift Insight found that nearly 90% of UK teachers were not trained on how Equality Law applies to Afro hair, which results in widespread discrimination against school children.

After six years of global impact; World Afro Day CIC has teamed up with BUD Leaders as their official training partner. We have devised this groundbreaking training to help companies stop race-based hair discrimination. The event culminates with the World Afro Day, Belonging in Business Awards, celebrating the companies, which already embrace employees with Afro Hair

Why should your business be involved?

RISK – protect your business, respect the law and prepare for legal changes towards Afro hairstyles. Avoid legal consequences.

EDGE gain greater insight into customers with Afro hair = 1 billion plus of the global population. Attract and retain high calibre Black staff, who want to be free to be themselves and ‘belong in business.’ Get ahead and support this freedom movement.

PURPOSE – enhance your reputation by embracing Afro hair inclusion. ‘Business as usual’, will mean that hair discrimination continues, so what kind of company do you want to be? Learning and understanding will show leadership in 2023.

Historically, discussions about race have been difficult for the workplace but conversations about hair discrimination can be easier and solutions applied more quickly. World Afro Day has expanded from 2.5million to 1.5 billion reach in five years. Your business can benefit from our spotlight and join the inclusion movement, changing workplaces for the better. Consumers will be able to check up on which companies have signed up for ‘action’ through training. This will reflect the businesses that are going beyond surface DEI statements and optics. We can end race-based hair discrimination together, your reputation is in your hands.

PREVIOUS SUPPORTERS

07

Don’t Miss The Greatest Training Event on Earth.

Tools, training and expertise to support your business.

Scarlette Douglas

HOST + TV PRESENTER

Scarlette Douglas is a television presenter, singer, dancer, and property expert who is well-recognised for being one of the presenters on the Channel 4 series, A Place in the Sun. She has also been a regular guest reporter on The One Show, Jeremy Vine and Lorraine. 

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TASHARA PARKER

HOST + JOURNALIST

Tashara Parker is an Emmy award-winning anchor and reporter in Dallas, Texas covering diversity and inclusivity-focused stories. Recognized nationally as a voice on authenticity in the workplace, the anchor brings experience, vibrancy and authenticity 

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PROFESSIONALS PANEL

ALICE DEARING​

OLYMPIAN

Alice Dearing is 26-years-old and is currently the only black female swimmer on team GB. She is the second black female swimmer to ever represent Great Britain at the Olympics. At Tokyo 2020, Alice competed in the 10km open water marathon event.

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Jonathan A J Wilson

Professor

Professor Jonathan A.J. Wilson is an award-winning practitioner and academic with two doctorates – specialising in what he calls the ABCDs of business and culture: Advertising, Branding, Communication, and Digital. He graduated from the faculties of Science, Art &

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DR ZOE

MEDIA MEDIC

Dr Zoe Williams MBBS, DRCOG, MRCGP is a practising NHS GP and media medic with accolades such as being named on the Pulse Power 50 List as one of the country’s most influential GP’s. Outside of the surgery Zoe is a National Advisor

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EXPERTS PANEL

AKIMA PAUL LAMBERT

SENIOR PARTNER

Akima Lambert – Litigation Partner at Hogan Lovells I am a UK solicitor-advocate and US litigation attorney with close to 15 years of top-tier legal experience. Over the years, I have built a successful practice focusing on 

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EMMANUEL

FINANCIAL EXPERT

Emmanuel Asuquo is a renowned financial adviser, media personality, wealth building entrepreneur, and international speaker. He regularly appears in the media, corporate campaigns and is a school governor of the 

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LAITH DILAIMI

BARRISTER

Laith Dilaimi is a barrister at Old Square Chambers. He is ranked by the legal directories as a leading barrister in employment law and education law. Laith is a contributing editor to Discrimination Law (Bloomsbury Professional). 

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WENDY GREENE

PROFESSOR

The daughter of American civil rights activists, Doris “Wendy” Greene is a trailblazing U.S. anti-discrimination law scholar, teacher, and advocate who has devoted her professional life’s

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PATTI O’BRIEN RICHARDSON

PROFESSOR

Dr. Patti O’Brien-Richardson is a sought-after speaker, scholar, and professor of racial and ethnic health disparities at Rutgers University. She is the CEO of Move it Nation, Inc.

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JANE POWELL

CEO SHIFT INSIGHT

Brought up in a family of researchers, Jane worked in publishing before founding Shift Insight (then Shift Learning) in 2002. It has become one of the UK’s most highly respected research 

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LEADERS PANEL

KADIATU KANNEH-MASON

CLASSICAL MUSIC LEADER

Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason is an author and former English lecturer at The University of Birmingham. She is a multi-award winner and mother to seven classical musicians, the Kanneh-Mason family. 

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LEVI ROOTS

ENTREPRENEUR

It all started in his grandmother’s kitchen in the small Jamaican village of Clarendon. This is where Levi learned the secrets and subtleties of mixing Caribbean flavours, herbs and spices.

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MICHELLE DE LEON

CEO WORLD AFRO DAY

Michelle De Leon is the founder and CEO of World Afro Day®, a global day of celebration and liberation for Afro hair and identity. The Day was established on 15th September 2017.

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“Whether it is the playground, boardroom or laboratory, we all deserve the right to feel comfortable and be our most authentic selves so we can focus on what we are there to do and not on how we look.”

Michelle De Leon, CEO World Afro Day®

World Afro Day - Workplace

Check your timezone and join the global live stream
17:30-19:30 BST, 15th September.

LIMITED IN-PERSON PLACES AT THE HISTORIC EVENT IN LONDON, UK.

Why This Matters

COMFORT

TASHARA

HELEN

SCHEDULE

  • 17:30 BST, Hosts: Scarlette Douglas and Tashara Parker
  • 17:35 Employer Research – Shift Insight CEO Jane Powell
  • Practical applications in business throughout
  • Slido engagement throughout sharing key insights
  •  17:45 Professionals Panel – Olympian Alice Dearing, Dr Zoe Williams, The Ritz London case.
  • 18:00 Experts Panel – Employment, Law, Hair & Health. Plus a legal case study discussed with USA Professors Patti O’Brien-Richardson and Professor D. Wendy Greene, UK Barrister Laith Dilaimi and Senior Partner, Akima Paul Lambert
  • 18:30 Leaders Panel – Entrepreneur Levi Roots, Classical Music Leader Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason, Founder and CEO World Afro Day®, Michelle De Leon
  • 19:00  World Afro Day: Belonging in Business Awards with special guests.
  • 19:30 Livestream ENDS 
  • 19:30 – 20:30 BST Networking in-person
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Livestream event, training packages and in-person tickets for any business size. Staff training can be tax deductible (check with your tax authority).

HOW DOES IT WORK SECTION

Slide 1

- Companies will unite on Sept 15th for World Afro Day - Workplace
- Sign up your company, based on your company size and purchase your package.
- Could you sponsor us? Consider sponsoring before buying your package, it has great benefits and will include the business training and resource pack.
- Could you win an award? Look at the nomination for the World Afro Day Belonging in Business Awards

Slide 1

- Allocate your in-person tickets
- Publicise livestream event internally
- Publicise externally commitment to Afro hair inclusion

Slide 1

- Inspire with workplace watching events or watch from home
- Allocate Slido participants subject to availability
- Download starter resource packs when available

Slide 1

- A few days before event you receive livestream link
- Attend event with in-person tickets
- Join World Afro Day - Workplace global social campaign

Training Packages

Multinational Business

1000+ employees unlimited

All staff – livestream event

All staff – training package

All staff – resource packs

10 in-person seats subject to availability

Black History Month Workshop – Bonus

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Large Business

250-999 employees 

All staff – livestream event

All staff – training package

All staff – resource packs

7 in-person seats subject to availability

 

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Medium Business

26-249 employees 

All staff – livestream event

All staff – training package

All staff – resource packs

5 in-person seats subject to availability

 

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Small Enterprise

10-25 employees 

All staff – livestream event

All staff – training package

All staff – resource packs

4 in-person seats subject to availability

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Micro Entity

9 or less employes 

All staff – livestream event

All staff – training package

All staff – resource packs

2 in-person seats subject to availability

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Individual

Self-employed or Owner

Livestream event

Training package

Resource pack

1 in-person seat limited availability

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FAQS

The event is scheduled to allow global unity in different time zones. Also the global school event The Big Hair Assembly takes place earlier on in the day.

This is the annual date for World Afro Day.

Discussing hair differences is easier than skin differences. This is an important and long overdue training needed for workplaces to prevent Afro hair discrimination. Hair discrimination has serious consequences that have been overlooked e.g. court cases for sickness or employment discrimination.

Definitely yes. World Afro Day works with people of all backgrounds to end Afro hair discrimination. We share one world so let’s make it better.

A protected link will be sent out after the event.

The venue is the Langley Park Centre for the Performing Arts, Hawksbrook Ln, Beckenham BR3 3BP.