African Women’s Empowerment Forum represent black voices on climate change and levelling up.

The African Women’s Empowerment Forum (AWEF) hosted its first conference on climate change and levelling up, with an aim to represent voices from black communities on the national agenda. The conference was hosted by AWEF founder and CEO, Faith Gakanje – Ajala, and attended by Shadow Levelling up minister Alex Norris MP.

Attendees came from across the UK to join the debate on how climate change affects their communities and to discuss the inclusion of black communities on the levelling up agenda.

The event, took place at the Marcus Garvey Centre in Nottingham on 1st October 2022, involved local black owned businesses operating within the environmental markets, showcasing a range of products and services from organic oils and cosmetics to ‘green’ lifestyle products and services.

WATCH: Black business owners share their thoughts on climate change at AWEF event.

Mr Norris said there are two key things at the heart of levelling up and changing the country and they are money and power. Stating that Britain is a wealthy country he said:

“At the moment, the money and power we have – and we are a wealthy country, we have autonomy, we are a democratic country, with a lot of assets to work with - but a lot of that is concentrated in the centre, so the decisions that affect our daily lives, are often taken by people in Whitehall or Westminster, who don’t know our communities as well as us, we want to see a shift of that power.”

Addressing the audience Faith Gakanje – Ajala said:

“This is the time we are going to start the discussions that will shape our voice. The shadow minister for levelling up is here and it is for us to collaborate and put our voices together so he can represent us wherever the information needs to go.”

Watch Faith Gakanje-Ajala and Alex Norris MP at AWEF event.

AWEF invites people from the African diaspora to share their opinions, concerns and suggestions on levelling up and climate change.

To join the discussion, follow @awef on social media or email: info@awef.org.uk