Undercurrents: Black Lives Matter, and Chatham House’s EDI Working Group

Melina Abdullah’s speech from the Diversity Champion Award ceremony, and how far the world has come in its understanding of race and international affairs.

Audio Published 29 October 2021 48 minute listen

Since George Floyd’s murder made the Black Lives Matter movement a household and worldwide name, the struggle for racial justice and equality has permeated organizations and communities, including Chatham House.

As part of our centenary celebrations, Chatham House staff awarded the Black Lives Matter movement its Diversity Champion Award in recognition of its advocacy and campaigning and Melina Abdullah, co-founder of the BLM Los Angeles chapter, came to Chatham House to accept it. This episode brings you her acceptance speech in full.

Then Chatham House’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Working Group talk about how far the world has come in understanding race and international affairs, and the importance of organizations such as Chatham House reckoning with its past.