Thank you everyone for reading and sharing these posts as we celebrate Black History Month during a pandemic! I’m so grateful for all of the wonderful Black nutrition professionals who have shared their journeys, those who have encouraged this campaign, and to everyone who has been giving their feedback!
Here’s everyone who was featured:
I hope that somewhere out there another A-level student, busy parent, or professional established in another field now feels more empowered to take the leap to study nutrition and dietetics, because representing their community matters.
Ok, ok, before I get too sappy, here are two last things I needed to share with you.
- There are so many reasons why having employees from several backgrounds is important in all fields, but this post from Amaeze really hit the nail on the head for diversity in Nutrition, Dietetics and Wellness.
2. In addition to Claudine’s thought-provoking career story, she also wrote this brilliant poem, which makes me feel like shouting, BOOM!
“I’ve been inspired by Amanda Gorman to write this poem – to inspire our black youth to take up the mantle to be all that they were predestined to be – change makers!“
We are born
We live
We become
We have a contribution to make
We have an obligation to make our contribution
If not, we have robbed ourselves
And we have robbed this world of our potential to be a difference and make a difference
But first, we must rise up
Rise up to become leaders of self
Embracing who we are
Embracing our unique roots
Embracing what makes us different
Embracing how that difference unites us
Celebrating the difference that has shaped and formed us into the leaders we are
The leaders we aspire to be
Then we can become leaders of others
Drawing on our roots
Drawing on the differences
Celebrating our uniqueness to unite rather than divide
So, we must rise up
Knowing leadership is not a title
Leadership is a way of life
Leadership is about empowering and enabling others to become better
To achieve to their maximum potential
To be the difference that makes the difference
That’s our responsibility
So, we must rise up
Rise up and become leaders of self
Recognising leadership is a lens we choose on purpose for yourselves
No one gives you that title
It’s a God given ability we choose for ourselves – Jesus being the perfect leader of all
So, we must rise up
Stop allowing others to dictate who you are, what you are about, and your potential to achieve
You have greatness within you and you have a right to fulfil that greatness, not from selfish ambition but for the greater good of all mankind
So, you must rise up
Rise up to remove the scales of I’m not good enough, the scales of comparison and step into the freedom our forefathers fought for us – the supernatural freedom we all have a right to.
So, you must rise up, and be brave and courageous to choose on purpose to become all that you have been predestined to be – not on the basis of the colour of your skin but because you can and therefore, you must leave this world with your legacy of love, forgiveness, peace, joy and fulfilment. Then, having done all that you can to become fully human, you can fulfil your God given destiny to the glory of God…
This is why we rise up, and take our place at the table and become world shakers and change makers, leaders and achievers in our own spheres of influence with the ability to become world influencers, to have impact and be the difference and the change we want to see in this world!
So, we must rise up to the light, rise up to become the light a beacon of hope, a beacon of light – Rise Up!
Claudine Matthews, January 2021