Unapologetically Ours: Black Women Leading with Power and Pride

About this event

CIPD Manchester marks Black History Month with “Unapologetically ours”—spotlighting Black women’s leadership, power, pride and action.

This Black History Month event, hosted by CIPD Manchester, celebrates the theme “Unapologetically Ours: Black Women Leading with Power and Pride.”

The evening begins with registration and networking before a warm welcome and scene-setting introduction. The keynote address will explore leadership, power, and pride, offering attendees practical tools and inspiration. Following this, two lightning talks will spotlight the experiences and insights of Black women leaders from diverse sectors.

A fireside chat with a moderator will dig deeper into crucial themes including sponsorship versus mentorship, wellbeing, and career progression. To close, attendees will engage in interactive table dialogues, identifying barriers, co-creating solutions, and capturing one actionable “policy tweak” and “manager ritual” to take back into their organizations.

What attendees can expect to gain:

• Inspiration and practical strategies from Black women leaders.
• Deeper understanding of the importance of mentorship, wellbeing, and progression.
• A chance to contribute to shaping inclusive workplace practices.
• Actionable takeaways to influence policy and management culture within their organisations.

Speakers:

Paula Watt

Chair GMCA Race equality Panel, SEND Case Manager

Martina Witter

Vice-Chair GMCA Race Equality Panel, CIPD Manchester Committee Member: DEI Lead I BABCP Accredited Cognitive Behaviour Therapist I Health and Wellbeing Consultant I TEDxTrafford Curator

Olajumoke Awosemo, FCIPD
HR Operations Manager | Founder, Black HR Professionals Community | DEI Advocate

Olajumoke Awosemo is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD and HR Operations Manager with a strong track record in people strategy, leadership development, and inclusion. She is the founder of the Black Human Resource Professionals Community, a platform that empowers and connects Black HR practitioners across the UK. Passionate about equity and representation, Olajumoke is committed to creating workplaces where people can thrive and lead with authenticity and pride.

Samantha Lubanzu as a panelist /speaker

Award-Winning Professional Career & Business Coach | Diversity & Inclusion Expert | Keynote Speaker | Author | Former Chair, CIPD Manchester Branch

Akeisha Brown

Equality Development Lead (Creative Support)

I'm Akeisha, an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Lead and trainee psychotherapist. My current EDI work focuses on embedding anti-racist practice into organisational culture, and I've previously worked on EDI strategic development and training across public and third sector organisations. As a trainee psychotherapist, I work with clients at an African and Caribbean community mental health hub in Manchester. I also sit on the board for a Manchester based carnival arts organisation. My heart is in creating spaces where people feel seen, valued, and able to thrive, and this thread runs through everything I do.

Over the past five years in EDI, I’ve worked with a wide range of leaders: those who don’t quite see the value of inclusive leadership, those with great intentions but not always the best execution, and those who embody truly inspiring and admirable inclusive leadership. I don’t claim to have all the answers, but my experiences have taught me a great deal about what inclusive leadership looks like, and more importantly, the profound impact it has on the wellbeing of those they lead.

Annabel Benjamin

Human Resources Manager, Caribbean and African Health Network (CAHN)

Annabel is a passionate Human Resources Leader dedicated to transforming workplaces and empowering people to thrive. With a BSc, MSc, and a CIPD Level 7 certification in progress, she combines academic excellence with hands-on expertise in strategic HR management and organisational development.

She currently serves as the Human Resources Manager at the Caribbean & African Health Network (CAHN), UK, and as a Trustee of the WAGAS Foundation, where she actively champions initiatives that uplift and empower women and girls.

Driven by empathy, purpose, and a deep commitment to creating lasting impact through people, Annabel brings an inspiring blend of professionalism, compassion, and strategic insight to every platform she engages with.

Please note:

1. Reminder emails will be sent to you the day before, with a further reminder on the day of the event.

2. Photography and video production may be taking place at the event, and these images may be used in the CIPD newsletters.

3. By attending the event, you are giving your consent for your image to be used on any CIPD promotional materials.

4. As we are supplying refreshments, if you can no longer attend, please cancel your place either on Eventbrite, responding to this email.

5. This event may include an external speaker who has prepared their own presentation. Any views or opinions expressed by the speaker are their own and do not reflect those of the CIPD.

6. If you require any reasonable adjustments to enhance your experience, please get in contact with us by responding to this email and we will do our best to accommodate.