This Black History Month, join us in collaboration with the Student Union for a powerful panel discussion exploring this year’s theme: Power and Pride.

Speakers

Professor Emmanuel Ogbonna, CBE
Professor of Organisation and Management

Dr Daniela Duc
Lecturer

Judith Nkwopara
Speaker, researcher

Ali Abdi
Community organiser

Patrick Younge
Chair of Council

This Black History Month, join us in collaboration with the Student Union for a powerful panel discussion exploring this year’s theme: Power and Pride. 

Our speakers will share personal journeys, experiences, and insights into creating lasting change, highlighting how embracing their culture and authenticity has shaped their paths. We are delighted to announce our line-up of speakers:  

• Patrick Younge - Chair of Cardiff University’s governing body, the University Council, and an alumnus of the university. A former Chief Creative Officer of the BBC, he has been active advocate for racial equality in the media for the past 30 years, from launching the pioneering BBC current affairs programme Black Britain to his current role on ITV's DEI steering committee.

• Professor Emmanuel Ogbonna, CBE – Professor of Organisation and Management at Cardiff Business School, he co-chaired the steering group that developed the anti-racist Wales action plan.  

• Dr Daniela Duc – Lecturer in Pharmaceuticals and Health Technologies at Cardiff University, she has research expertise in neural interface fabrication, biodevice development, neuromodulation and neuroethics. She is part of the editorial team of the Unblock Magazine which looks at the shared challenges and potential solutions faced by black female academics.  

• Judith Nkwopara – global speaker, researcher and advocate for equity and inclusion. She is the founder of Bridging the Gap, the first global education organisation for sanctuary seekers in Wales founded by an asylum seeker. She serves as Policy and Advocacy Lead for Sanctuary in the Senedd.  

• Ali Abdi - Community Gateway Partnerships Manager, building strong connections between the university and local communities in Grangetown. He leads projects with SEF Cymru, Ffair Jobs CIC, and Grange Pavilion Youth Forum, tackling inequality, poverty, and underrepresentation while creating opportunities for diverse communities. 

We’ll explore how bringing pride into power can redefine representation and inspire future generations. 

Together, we will reflect on the importance of inclusive spaces where power is shared, pride in our cultures is embraced, and personal identity becomes a source of strength. 

This event is an opportunity for staff and students to engage in open dialogue, gain new perspectives, and be inspired by stories that honour the past while shaping the future. 

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Events in this series

Black History Month

Black History Month

23 October, 18:30

Standing Firm in Power and Pride Portrait Exhibition

27 October, 09:00

Interactive West African Drumming

17 October, 14:30

Marvin Thompson’s Spoken Poetry

28 October, 12:30

Black History Month Movie Night

16 October, 18:00

Roots: Cardiff Bay’s distinct Black history – documentary screening

10 October, 12:00

Black History Month Quiz

09 October, 13:00

The Social Space – Black History Month Craft Event

21 October, 10:00