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Meet Professor Uzo Iwobi OBE, our new Vice President

12 May 2021

News from our Principal Helena Gaunt

I’m so proud to welcome our friend and supporter Uzo Iwobi as a new Vice President of the College.

Uzo is currently a Specialist Policy Adviser on Equalities to Welsh Government and she’s previously been the Commissioner to the Commission for Racial Equality UK and Chief Executive Officer of Race Council Cymru. Last year her image was beamed on to the legendary Stonehenge as one of only eight ‘Covid Champions’ in appreciation of all her immense and ongoing work for the community.

As a trusted group of advisors and ambassadors the Vice Presidents bring valuable knowledge and expertise to the College. Since Uzo joined the College three years ago she’s been an active and inspirational member of our community, and her new role is a way of us celebrating her contribution to RWCMD and the vital part she’ll continue to play as we move forward.

As well as introducing us to diverse members of our community including the Windrush Cymru Elders, Uzo has also played a crucial part in helping us to form our Strategic Equality Plan and Anti-Racism Plan which we launched last year as a roadmap to create a respectful space for everyone within our College.

‘It is such a great honour to be invited to serve the College as a Vice President,’ said Uzo Iwobi. ‘Over the past few years as your International Chair for Diversity I’ve developed a great admiration for the valuable work being done here.

I was delighted to support the College as it took its vital and challenging steps to develop its own Strategic Equality Plan and its Anti-Racism Plan. The development of the Anti-Racist Plan has been recognised by Black History Wales and Windrush Cymru Elders as best practice in the sector.

Professor Uzo Iwobi OBE, Vice President of the Royal Welsh College

‘In my new role I’m fully committed to continuing to work with the College towards the effective implementation of both plans. These are important steps towards embedding an inclusive culture in all facets of the College’s work and it’s such a pleasure to be part of this exciting and transformational journey.

It’s also important that we take the time to review and celebrate the changes we have made already.

‘I am truly honoured to serve the College in this capacity.’

Celebrating the Journey

Uzo and Helena outside the Dora Stoutzker Hall

We know we haven’t arrived yet and that we need to continue to listen, learn and act. It’s a journey shared between all of us in our community, but as Uzo says, it’s also really important to stop and take a moment to celebrate the journey so far.

Within our five year Strategic Equality Plan the annual Equality Action Plan reports on our progress, and these are the targets we‘re celebrating today.

Click on the infographics below to find out more:

 

 

Professor Uzo Iwobi OBE

For those of you who don’t know Uzo, she’s a British-Nigerian solicitor and equalities practitioner and is the first black woman to be appointed a Specialist Policy Adviser on Equalities to Welsh Government.

She’s received many awards, including an OBE for her contributions to community race relations and South Wales Communities.

You can find out more about Uzo in this recent interview with Dusty Throne:

You can read the full press release about Uzo’s appointment in our Press & Media Centre.

I’m sure you’ll join me in wishing Uzo, llongyfarchiadau mawr, and look forward to working with her in the coming months.

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