Slay in Your Lane: The Black Girl Bible is a comprehensive guide written by Yomi Adegoke and Elizabeth Uviebinené. It explores the unique challenges faced by black British women in areas such as education, career advancement, dating, and health. The book features interviews with successful black women across various industries, offering practical advice and inspiration for navigating these challenges.
This novel weaves through the minds and histories of nearly a dozen central characters, each section bound by triads of characters connected through blood and friendship. It captures the reality of intersectionality, exploring how women's lives are shaped by societal expectations, prejudice, and their own assumptions. The book is an ode to Black British women, spanning over 100 years and examining the complexities of femininity, masculinity, and human relationships[3][4][5].
Women of colour have to navigate a world of work where they are often discriminated against because of their race as well as their gender. Prejudice in recruitment, opportunities for promotion, pay gaps, microaggressions – the list goes on. Moments that seemed like major turning points can fizzle out: Diane Abbott made history when she became the first black woman elected to Parliament in 1987 but it wasn’t until 2010 that Britain elected its first female Asian MPs. Halle Berry became the first black woman to win an Oscar for Best Actress in 2001 but since then we’ve seen 18 white actresses in a row pick up the award. Gender diversity in FTSE 100 companies is improving but today, out of the six female CEOs, not one is a woman of colour.
Still, it’s not all bad news. Despite the challenges, women of colour are increasingly making their way to the top and carving out a new ‘normal’ for younger generations. To celebrate their success and share how they got there, Intelligence Squared and gal-dem are partnering to bring together pioneers from the worlds of media, politics and culture.
Our panel includes Diane Abbott, Shadow Home Secretary and the UK’s first black female MP; Mishal Husain, presenter of BBC Radio 4’s flagship Today programme; Corinne Bailey Rae, award-winning singer-songwriter, Yomi Adegoke, co-author of Slay in Your Lane: The Black Girl Bible, and Bernardine Evaristo, an author shortlisted for this year’s Booker Prize with her novel Girl, Woman, Other. The conversation will be chaired by journalist and political activist Ash Sarkar.
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