Celebrating Black Women in Housing: WISH London's First-Ever Black History Month Event

Celebrating Black Women in Housing: WISH London's First-Ever Black History Month Event

By Violet Pugh, Senior Marketing Communications Manager Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing.

In the heart of London's social housing women’s networking community, a historic event took place on 5^th October as WISH London celebrated its inaugural Black History Month in 2023. The event, featuring influential black women leaders in the built environment - Althea Efunshile, Jade Vanriel, Hannah Afolabi, and Cheryl Brown - marked a significant milestone, bringing together powerful stories of resilience, achievement, and empowering the next generation of Black women leaders.

The buzz in the air was electric. It was a special time to recognise and appreciate the rich contributions of black women in the built environment and beyond.

What were the key takeaways?

The event began with a moment of reflection, recognising the importance of Black History Month and its newfound place within WISH London. Althea Efunshile, with her wealth of experience, passionately shared her inspiring journey, highlighting the power of diversity in driving positive change within the housing sector. She celebrated influential black women in her life who have contributed to her highly successful career and helped her in overcoming the barriers she faced early on. She spoke passionately about seizing opportunities and fearlessly confronting bias and discrimination.

Jade Vanriel, spoke about the importance of authenticity. She encouraged creating safe spaces for open dialogue and pledged to continue to embrace inclusivity in the work that she does as a content creator in the property space.

Hannah Afolabi a trailblazer, brought her wisdom to the stage, emphasising the transformative impact of mentorship and allyship. She stressed the role of mentorship in empowering the next generation of black women leaders, emphasising the need for all voices to be heard and valued and the importance of women’s networks, underscoring why it was so important for her to create Black Women in Real Estate.

Cheryl Brown, a formidable voice known for her authenticity and advocacy in diversity and inclusion, issued a compelling call to action to our guests. She urged everyone to have the audacity to challenge barriers and create opportunities for underrepresented talent and self-advocacy. Her passionate plea resonated with the audience, inspiring a commitment to positive change.

Looking to the future

This special event set the stage for ongoing conversations, initiatives, and collaboration. Guests left with a renewed commitment to foster an inclusive and equitable environment, ensuring that the celebration of black women continues beyond October.

The event left an indelible mark on the network’s history. Our stories are the heartbeat of our community, and by celebrating them, and harnessing the power of allyship and networks, shapes a more diverse and inclusive sector for all.

Thank you to our sponsors, Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing and Rider Levett Bucknall for making this milestone event a great success.