Each October, Black History Month offers an opportunity not only to celebrate the achievements and contributions of Black people in the UK but also to pause, reflect, and recommit to equity. The 2025 theme, “Standing Firm in Power and Pride” carries a powerful resonance for Black women- women who have often stood at the intersection of resilience, brilliance, and systemic barriers.
In a world that is still learning to listen, Black women continue to lead, not because the path is easy, but because their presence is essential. This year’s theme asks a vital question: What does it mean to stand firm in power and pride when the world has not always recognised your worth?
The Weight and Beauty of Dual Identity
For many Black women in the UK, identity is layered- a fusion of heritage, culture, and lived experience. It is both a source of deep pride and, at times, a site of challenge. Studies continue to show that Black women are underrepresented in senior leadership roles, overrepresented in low-paid sectors, and often experience bias in recruitment and promotion processes.
The 2024 McGregor-Smith Review follow-up found that despite progress, fewer than 2% of UK board members identify as Black, and Black women continue to face barriers related to both race and gender. However beyond statistics lies a deeper truth: Black women are architects of progress, culture, and innovation. Their stories from Mary Seacole to Diane Abbott to June Sarpong remind us that leadership and legacy are intertwined.
To “stand firm in power and pride” is to reject invisibility. It is to embrace both heritage and individuality, to define oneself beyond the constraints of stereotype, and to walk confidently in spaces that were not built with your image in mind.
The Emotional Labour of Representation
Representation matters but it also carries weight. Many Black women in corporate and public life shoulder invisible burdens: the pressure to represent their entire community, to navigate microaggressions with grace, or to perform resilience even when exhausted.
Emotional labour is often unacknowledged. Whether it’s being the only Black woman in a senior meeting, being asked to explain “diversity issues” or constantly self-editing language and tone to be heard, the cumulative impact can erode mental wellbeing.
Standing firm in pride does not mean carrying these burdens alone. It means being supported by allies and systems that recognise the emotional cost of underrepresentation and take action to reduce it.
Power Through Community
One of the most transformative aspects of Black History Month is the sense of collective power it fosters. Across the UK, Black women are creating spaces of affirmation from professional networks like Black Women in Leadership and UK Black Business Show, to grassroots initiatives celebrating Black excellence in arts, science, and education.
These spaces matter because they remind us that power is not only positional; it is also communal. When Black women mentor each other, when they share strategies for navigating corporate culture, when they celebrate one another’s wins they are reshaping the landscape of leadership.
Organisations should recognise and support this. Encouraging employee-led networks, funding professional development programmes for Black women, and celebrating achievements publicly are not performative acts, they are strategic investments in culture and equity.
Reclaiming Pride in a Corporate World
The phrase “power and pride” can make some organisations uncomfortable. Pride is often misread as arrogance; power, as aggression. But for Black women, reclaiming both is revolutionary.
Pride is not about exclusion, it’s about authenticity. It’s about saying: My heritage is an asset, not a liability.
Power is not about domination, it’s about agency. It’s about having the freedom to show up fully, to influence decisions, and to thrive without compromise.
In inclusive workplaces, power and pride coexist with empathy and allyship. When organisations empower Black women to lead authentically, not by conforming to majority norms, but by bringing their full selves, everyone benefits.
Research from Harvard Business Review (2023) found that teams with diverse leadership outperform peers by up to 33% in innovation-driven sectors. Inclusion is not charity; it’s a catalyst for excellence.
How Organisations Can Honour This Year’s Theme
As we celebrate Black History Month 2025, HR leaders and business decision-makers should reflect on how they can create structures that enable Black women to “stand firm” beyond October.
Here are a few starting points:
- Listen, Don’t Assume – Create safe, consistent spaces for Black women to share lived experiences without fear of judgment or repercussion. Genuine listening builds trust and inform effective inclusion strategies.
- Audit Equity, Not Just Diversity – Representation matters, but so does fairness. Analyse pays gaps, promotion rates, and attrition data to understand where systemic bias may exist.
- Mentorship and Sponsorship – Support the career progression of Black women by pairing them with sponsors who have decision-making power. Visibility is key to advancement.
- Invest in Wellbeing – Recognise that racial stress and workplace bias impact mental health. Partner with mental health professionals trained in racial trauma and intersectionality.
- Celebrate Authenticity Year-Round – Black History Month is not a one-off event. Honour Black excellence throughout the year, ensuring Black voices are visible and valued.
The Future is Firm
To stand firm in power and pride is to stand on the shoulders of those who refused to bend under pressure. It is to lead with confidence, grace, and clarity of purpose.
As Britain continues to evolve culturally, politically, and economically, the visibility and leadership of Black women remain crucial to shaping a fairer society. Their stories are not side notes to the national narrative; they are central to it.
So, this October, let us not only celebrate history but also co-create the future, one where Black women’s power is recognised, their pride is celebrated, and their contributions are woven permanently into the fabric of British life.
Martina Witter
Keynote Speaker I Resilience Consultant/Coach I Accredited Cognitive Behavior Therapist I Health and Wellbeing Consultant I Corporate Wellbeing Trainer I Leadership Coach
Martina helps organizations to boost productivity and performance through CPD Accredited training including including Signature Course Rivers to Resilience ® Training and Stress Busters for success™ at Rapha Therapy and Training Services