Yesterday, I had the immense privilege of being awarded an Honorary Doctor of Social Justice by the University of East London.
Though I already hold a doctorate, this recognition feels profoundly special; a celebration not of academic pursuit, but of a lifelong commitment to service, justice, and hope.
As I stood in my robes, holding this honour, my heart was full of gratitude. Life has taught me that even in our darkest seasons, light always finds a way to shine through.
This moment is a reminder that hope endures, purpose prevails, and grace carries us forward.
Almost a year ago, I lost my beloved father, the first man who loved me, who taught me to dream without limits. Papa, this one’s for you. May your soul continue to rest in perfect peace.
And to my fellow graduates, here’s the charge I left you with in my acceptance speech: the world doesn’t need you to be perfect. It needs you to be courageous. Step forward, even with trembling knees. Dream loud. Live boldly. Lead with kindness.
What a day. What an honour. What a JOY. 🥂
And yes, you can officially call me Dr Dr now! 💃🏽✨
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#DrDr #HonoraryDoctor #SocialJustice #LightInDarkness #HopeEndures #UEL
⭐️⭐️COVER GIRL ALERT!!⭐️⭐️
Thank you to @hellomag for inviting me to write my first article as part of their Happiness Campaign and glad that I get to kick off Mental Health Awareness Week by talking about JOY! ✨️✨️
For me, real joy looks beyond the present. It is knowing that inspite of my present suffering, there is the promise of something to come, a better tomorrow.
I bring joy into my life by finding moments of little wins in the present but also focusing on the power that I have to create change beyond me, change that impacts the lives of others. That doesn’t mean I am removed from pain, far from that, but it’s the ability to look beyond that.
Every day, we are all affected by what we see or hear, and that’s why it is important we are intentional about finding moments of joy, in spite of it!
This mental health week, my advice is to be intentional about finding joy. Look for joy in the small things, in those quiet moments to yourself, in the acts of kindness and the beauty around us, in our support groups.
Grab a copy of HELLO Mag to read the full article and see gorgeous photos thanks to the best glam team everrrr!!
Photographer:
@amandaakokhiaphotography
Wardrobe stylist: @uo_styling
MUA: @mana.mumin
Hair: @hairbyjemin
Florist/Set Design: @blooming_flair
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#FindingJoy #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek #Intentionality #BlackJoy #Mentalhealthtips #MentalWellness #CoverGirl #HelloMagazine #Women #YoungPeople #PurposeDrivenLife
#Change #Hope
COVER GIRL @hellomag ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Someone pinch me please!!
Thank you @hellomag for this honour. May generations to come see this and truly believe that impossible is nothing!
Guys, you have to read the interview! Link in my bio and story!
Thank you to the small but mighty team that created this look:
Photographer: @amandaakokhiaphotography
Wardrobe Stylist: @uo_styling
Makeup Artist: @mana.mumin
Dresses: @divalukky
Jewellery: @wearekrystal
PR: @bellepr_
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#cover #covergirl #womanking #hellomagazine #legacybuilder
#legacy #51years
There is something deeply dangerous about a society that begins defining belonging through exclusion.
As a civil society leader, I have spent much of my life working across communities, youth, and social cohesion. I have seen firsthand that what truly strengthens societies is not fear or division, but dignity, opportunity, belonging, and shared humanity.
Most people want the same things: Safe children. Safe communities. Opportunity. Hope. A future where everyone feels they belong.
The strength of a nation is not measured by who it excludes but by how it protects the humanity of all its people, especially the most vulnerable.
Unity does not require uniformity. And we cannot build a peaceful future on division.
Today, especially, I am sending love to London. To every community. Every family. Every person who simply wants to live, belong, and thrive in peace.
May we never lose sight of our shared humanity.
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#London #unity #peace #Belonging
I’m incredibly proud and excited to share that @dianaaward has entered into a new multi-year partnership with @sxswlondon .
As part of SXSW London 2026, and under the festival’s Society Rewired theme, we’ll be bringing the voices, leadership and ideas of young people onto one of the world’s most influential platforms for culture, technology and social impact.
For me, this is about creating spaces where young people are not simply part of the conversation, but helping to shape it. Their lived experiences, creativity and leadership are essential to the future we are building.
I’m looking forward to joining the conference programme in June alongside Diana Award Recipients, and continuing to champion young people at the centre of the conversations that matter most.
Thank you to @evaomaghomi and @forsterjonesassociates for helping bring this partnership together, and to the team at SXSW London for believing in the power and potential of young people.
#SXSWLondon #TheDianaAward #YouthLeadership #SocialImpact #FutureLeaders
One of the greatest joys of leading is creating opportunities for young people and building partnerships that help them thrive.
Last week, I had the opportunity to step into one of our Rise Up Africa sessions, and it was genuinely a highlight of my week. Witnessing firsthand the transformative power of partnership, and the impact it has on young people’s confidence, leadership and future, was incredibly powerful.
Every young person deserves the opportunity to thrive. Every young person deserves access, support and people who believe in their potential.
We’ve got something exciting cooking this week that will unlock even more opportunities, assets and partnerships for young people.
Watch this space....
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#youngpeople #leadership #CEO #Legacy #partnership
Being strong all the time comes at a cost.
So many people are carrying more than anyone realises. Leading. Holding. Fixing. Showing up.
Yet quietly… running on empty.
Impact isn’t sustained by burnout.
If you are always the one others lean on, you still need spaces where you can exhale.
Strength should not mean silence. Because sustainable impact requires honest spaces, not silent endurance.
#Wellbeing #LeadershipMatters #EmotionalHealth #InvincibleWeight #RealTalk
Last Wednesday, I was honoured to be in the room at 10 Downing Street for our first Civil Society Council meeting.
We spoke about reforming procurement and why it matters more than most people realise. Because behind every process is a young person navigating mental health pressures, online harm, and limited access to opportunity and a family trying to hold it all together.
If we get this right, support comes earlier. It reaches the right communities. It changes lives before crisis hits.
Now the focus is clear: turn intention into action and build a system that truly works for young people and families.
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#CivilSociety #Leadership #Partnership #Impact #UK
At our last @tessysbrunches event, exactly four weeks ago, we spoke about journey enablers… those people who show up in your life and quietly, powerfully, shift the course of your story.
What I didn’t know at the time was that just a few weeks later, I would experience that so personally.
A couple of days ago, I shared about my induction at Morehouse College. What I didn’t share is what happened afterwards.
A post-induction dinner.
Thoughtfully organised. Beautifully curated. Generously paid for. All in my honour.
And all because of one woman… @ashnicolewilliams
I’m still taking it in.
The beauty of sisterhood.
The power of women who speak your name in rooms you’re not in.
Who open doors you didn’t even know existed.
Who go above and beyond not for recognition but simply to honour you.
Ashley and Dr Alisha , thank you. Truly.
You are what a journey enablers looks like in real life.
And to every woman reading this… may we not only celebrate our own journeys, but become enablers in someone else’s.
Everything, Hallelujah!
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#JourneyEnablers #SisterhoodInAction #WomenSupportingWomen #Gratitude #TessysBrunches
Two weeks ago, I had the distinct honour of being inducted into the Collegium of Scholars at @morehouse1867 College, one of the leading HBCUs in the United States.
This recognition is awarded to leaders who demonstrate not only achievement but also moral leadership and a deep, enduring commitment to community.
I have taken my time to share this because moments like this are not just to be posted. They are to be understood.
In the UK, the closest comparison is an honorary doctorate. But for me, this is not just recognition. It is a responsibility.
I am aware that for many of us navigating spaces where representation is still limited, moments like this carry a different weight. They are not just about being seen but about what becomes possible for others.
Because it is never just about the room.
It is about what you open up once you are in it.
Access. Opportunity. Wider doors for those coming next.
If it stops with me, it means very little.
But if it creates space for others, then it begins to matter.
Finally, all of this is thanks to @dralishaljones , who took it upon herself to nominate me for this honour and kept it all a secret!!!
Grateful.
Grounded.
And focused on what comes next.
#Morehouse #LeadershipWithPurpose #WomenSupportingWomen #AccessAndOpportunity GlobalWomen
You don’t need permission to make a difference.
To the young person or woman waiting to feel “ready"..... Just start anyway.
You don’t need a title.
You don’t need a perfect plan.
You need a willingness to act.
Every movement, every shift, every change we see today, started with someone who decided to begin before they felt ready.
Your voice matters now, not later.
Impact begins the moment you stop waiting and start acting.
#YouthLeadership #NextGeneration #StartNow #Purpose #Changemakers
Not everything that changes your life is loud.
I’ve been reflecting on our last @TessysBrunches , and one word keeps sitting with me… enablers.
The women and men in that room carried powerful stories. Stories of resilience, reinvention, quiet battles, and hard-won growth. But what stayed with me most was not just the journeys, it was the people behind them.
The ones who opened a door.
The ones who spoke your name in rooms you had not entered yet.
The ones who reminded you who you were when you forgot.
We do not talk about them enough.
Somewhere along the way, many of us learned that being a strong woman meant doing it all alone. But that is not strength. That is survival.
Real strength is knowing when to receive.
Real power is choosing to enable others as you rise. That is what I saw in that room.
Women showing up for themselves and for each other. Stories being shared and held with care.
Connections rooted in something deeper than surface.
So I leave you with this:
Who are your journey enablers… and who are you enabling?
Because we are called to be both.
And when we get that right, we do not just rise, we rise together.
Let this sit with you this week. Happy Monday!
📸: @palassociates
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. #WomenSupportingWomen #Community #Growth #Purpose #JourneyEnablers
