In Her Words

The pandemic has really been an unprecedented time for all of us. We took a long time out through the whole year and I'm happy to welcome you back. 

In this episode, among other things discussed, I want you to use the points raised to reflect and see if you can find some hint of positive out of the pandemic and use it to begin your healing and getting back to normal. As we always say, an attitude of gratitude remains the key and here we help you find those little miracles that come and go unnoticed to begin to build your positivity journal and grow into having a daily list of things to be grateful for. Let the light in with your thankfulness for those little things, moments, friends, family, - find them. 

Find out also what we have chosen to challenge during this International Women's Month. The atmosphere all over is a bit not celebratory for women this month in most places. But we are not deterred from making it about YOU and all that we women continue to contribute to making this world a better place. Find out also who got some shoutouts today and get to know how we have been connecting with our community. 

Follow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram/ - @Divasofcolour 

Visit - www.divasofcolour.com 

No doubt our families, our brothers and sisters around the world have been faced with so much pain that has been further exacerbated by the recent killings in the USA and around the world as well as the continued oppression of black men, women and children, especially in the western world. 

Today, along with our friends and families, we are calling all humans to take part in taking a stand not just in words but in actions. 

Black lives matter should not just be a platitude to use to hide the real issues. 

We do not want to be carried away with the casualness of saying black lives matter. 

We want to see actions, we want to see these social declarations by organisations and governments reflected in their hiring, promotions, representations. 

We want to see the media giving a fair account and image representation of black people. 

We want to see charities not make poverty porn images of black children.

We want to see black lives matter reflected on national and international government policies. 

We want to see the time when police officers are immediately held accountable when a black person gets murdered in police custody. 

We want to see when it is a norm for a black person to reach a milestone and go beyond it. 

We want to see when people who call the police on black people for no reason are arrested and punished immediately. 

We want to real change - where black people can live their lives in confidence, afraid of not being killed for just being black!

That is the black lives matter we are interested in. Say the words and then do the actions. #Blacklivesmatter. 

Dr Ruth Oshikanlu MBE is a multi-award-winning nurse, midwife and health visitor.  A nurse entrepreneur, consultant, leader and parenting expert. She is also a Clinical Restorative Supervisor and enables her supervisees to look after themselves so that they can be better practitioners, among much others.

Ruth is the author of Tune In To Your Baby: Because Babies Don’t Come with an Instruction Manual.  Having had a very challenging pregnancy, almost losing her baby in pregnancy, Ruth has developed a service for anxious pregnant women who have had previous pregnancy loss or have had assisted conception.

Ruth is a Queen’s Nurse, Fellow of The Institute of Health Visiting, Royal College of Nursing, Royal Society of Arts and a Churchill Fellow.  Ruth is the recipient of several national healthcare and business awards.  She was named on The HSJ BME Pioneers 2014 List and The Nursing Times Leaders 2015 List.  Ruth received The Queen’s Nursing Institute’s Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Award for Outstanding Service to Community Nursing in 2014 and was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the New Year 2019 Honours List for being an Ambassador for the Health Visiting Profession and for services to Community Nursing, Children and Families.  She was also conferred with an honorary doctorate degree from London South Bank University.

In 2019, Ruth was awarded a Winston Churchill travel scholarship to investigate support for young people with adverse childhood experiences.  This year, The Year of The Nurse and Midwife, she received a Florence Nightingale Senior Leaders Scholarship and will be working to reduce the disparity in deaths of Black and Asian women in pregnancy and the perinatal period.

To connect with Ruth and other women professionals and entrepreneurs from around the world, visit our website on - www.divasofcolour.com

Topic

Are any careers unusual for women? We reminisce on the great works of women, the formidable fights women have fought to establish their rights as humans with visions and desire to achieve. We share some not very old history of women warriors and leaders.

Guest

Thirupura Sundari Sevvel, a 26-year-old Architect planner (having studied in India, the UK, and France with scholarships ). She is a storyteller and educator as well. She runs an architectural consultancy called Studio Conclave and a social initiative called - Nam veedu Nam oor Nam kadhai. She curates stories on social issues, documents and uses traditional techniques in her projects, and works as a consultant for NGOs, schools and colleges. She is also a material restorer and conservator, working closely with underprivileged women and children.

She shows a balance in both her office and social work. Her work has impacted a lot of families and children. A known name in the city and an influencer. She mentors a lot of people.

Annprincess Johnson Koffa, 27, is the daughter of Liberian warlord, was held with mother under house arrest by the rebel during the war. Annprincess and her mother were able to escape to seek refuge in Norway.  Now building a career in music, Annprincess finds a channel to tell her story and heal.