When Operation Black Vote launched The Colour of Power back in 2017, we hoped that the stark visualisation of what power looked like both in racial and in gender terms would begin an inexorable conversation and that would lead to inevitable positive change. In truth the stark realisation wasn't enough. Our then media partners The Guardian - gave the project unprecedented coverage - some 10 pages and three podcasts of coverage, but by 2020, three years later our data shows little had changed.
However, in the following 12 -18 months the dial began to move more quickly than ever before. So, a snapshot now compared to four years prior shows a doubling of the number of British Black, Asian, and minority ethnic faces in very high places. In 2017 we were at 36, in 2020 it's 73, double.
The greatest shift has been in politics, which has seen significant and positive changes from both Labour and the Conservatives, with the Prime Minister appointing a record number of BAME Cabinet members (6) and Ministers (7) to his Government. Whilst the Labour boasts a record number of BAME Mayors (4) and Council leaders (11) all of which is particularly pleasing for us at Operation Black Vote as we celebrated our 25th anniversary.
The Colour of Power uniquely gives our society a frame work for that discussion and potential change. As architects of this design we are very much aware that whist OBV has a particular interest in race quality, this format gives us the potential to slice and dice the data for other sectors including gender, class, disability, LBGTQ+, geography and much more.
We at OBV hope that The Colour of Power 2021 helps keep this renewed positive momentum for change on the right track. If we're getting the top right it's more likely we are changing the organisations culture, and with that transformation throughout.
Visit The Colour Of Power website here
