What’s it like to be Black in Britain today? With Sandra Kerr CBE and David Wallis

How often do you think about race?

If you’re white, chances are – rarely. That’s because you’re unlikely to be the only person in a room who looks like you.

If you’re Black, race defines your experience from the day you are born. The street you grow up in. The school you attend. The friends you make. The jobs you go for.

We might say we don’t see colour, but our skin marks every aspect of our lives. The recent Black Lives Matter protests shocked many into paying attention to the systemic racism endured by Black people for centuries. In the UK, we realised it was much closer to home than we wanted to believe. The same goes for our firm.

October is Black History Month – an annual celebration of the history, achievements and contributions of Black people in the UK. It’s a time to honour and celebrate Black Britishness. Black heroes. Black talent. Creativity. Drive. Passion. But it’s also a time to question and learn.

For this episode, two guests help us get under the skin of Black Britishness. They’re both senior professionals in their chosen fields. We talk about what it was like getting their first job. Their experience in the workplace. Did they ever think they got the role because of their skin colour? Were they ever rejected because of it? What’s been the proudest moment of their careers?

But they’re also just people. Who did they look up to as kids? When was the first time they experienced racism? Were they told they had to work twice as hard? Does it ever get tiring talking about race? Are they proud to be Black? And British?

Tune in to find out:

• Why George mentioned his lockdown love handles
• How seeing the first Black British role models on TV impacted Sandra
• About the responsibility David feels being one of our few Black partners
• Why Sandra and David are both optimistic about the future

 

Enjoyed the episode? Check our website for our recommendations to learn more about this topic: deloitte.co.uk/GreenRoomPodcasts

 

Guests: David Wallis and Sandra Kerr CBE Hosts: George Parrett and Ethan Worth Technical support: Deloitte’s Creative Studio Original music: Ali Barrett

And a special thanks to our Black network for their support on this episode.