October is Black History Month, a time across the country when we focus on recognising and celebrating the contributions of Black communities.

Black communities in Kingston have played an important role in shaping the borough and I am proud to be part of a place that values diversity and celebrates the contributions of all communities.

From the former slave Cesar Picton who became a successful coal merchant in the borough in the 1880s, to those who arrived as part of the Windrush generation in the mid-20th century, all the way to the present day. Now, we have one of the few Race and Equalities Councils in the country, and the annual Kingston Carnival which is a renowned part of the borough’s cultural life.

The theme of this year’s Black History Month is ‘Saluting our Sisters’, to remember black women who have been an important part of our history and culture.

We have been hearing from people about what Black History Month means to them and about the black women who have inspired them, in a series of short videos. You can watch on the council’s website kingston.gov.uk/homepage/193/black-history-month-2023

As part of our celebrations and ongoing reflections, we are hosting activities along with our partners throughout October. These include a cultural afternoon with traditional dress, music and food on October 13 at Kingston College and a panel discussion with young black achievers reflecting on what Black History Month means to them at the Guildhall on October 20.

There will also be an opportunity to explore the story of Cesar Picton and start a conversation about how best to represent his and other stories of Kingston's black history in in an event at Kingston University on 27 October. You can find out more about all these events on the council’s website at kingston.gov.uk/homepage/193/black-history-month-2023

Black History Month is also a reflection on how far society has come and what still needs to be accomplished. While we celebrate this Black History Month, it shouldn’t be something we forget when the month is over. We are committed in Kingston to striving to be ever more inclusive. In 2021 we launched Inclusive Kingston, a new strategy and action plan signalling a step up in our ambition to foster a more inclusive borough. The strategy, from 2021 to 2025, was developed with community groups, partners and residents to ensure we are listening and learning from them to improve our understanding of the communities we serve.

Our fight for fairness and equity for everyone should be something that we pursue every day. As a council, we are fully committed to working together with communities and partners to make Kingston a fairer place.