Page 10 - 2018 Powerlist

Letter from

the Editor

Over the past 12 months, I’ve read and followed many heated debates in
columns and on social media, about black women and, seemingly, how little
they are valued in society.
Sometimes what I have read has left me frustrated, sad and a bit fed-up. But
mostly it just makes me want to give everyone a copy of the Powerlist.
Our publication has consistently championed women of African and
African-Caribbean heritage in Britain. And this year, for the first time, I am so
proud that almost 50 per cent of the list is female – an incredible achievement.
Women fare even better in our top 10, where they take six of the spots,
including the number one.
With such an overwhelming number of ladies in the 2018 list, it was clear
that there was only one theme for us this year – we decided to make it a
celebration of black women who are at the top of their game, excel in their
fields and, well, they just rock. Michelle Obama once said: “There is no limit to
what we as women can accomplish.” And that is certainly true of ones we have
interviewed in this 11th edition of the magazine.
We talk to national treasure Baroness Floella Benjamin whose mantra is ‘never
give up’. She talks about the challenges she faced in television, her transition
into politics and why she turned down an offer to appear in Playboy magazine.
We also feature inspirational book publisher Valerie Brandes, founder and
publisher of independent publishing house Jacaranda Books. As the head of
one of the only black-owned publishing companies in the UK, she is bringing
diverse voices to the literary scene while refusing to be labelled as niche
because of the books she publishes.
And then there is Gina Miller, our incredible number one. It was inspiring but
also heartbreaking to hear about what a year it’s been for her. The woman who
took Theresa May’s Government to court over Brexit, and won, faced horrific
abuse because of her actions. I met her in her new offices – she’s been forced
to move because of the hate mail and threats she’s received. But she remains
as determined as ever to make society fairer for everyone.
Elsewhere in the magazine, we launch the biggest and most comprehensive
survey ever undertaken of 21st-century black British working women.
We want to understand what drives you and inspires you, and uncover, more
than ever before, your concerns and experiences. We will be collecting your
responses over the next few months and hope that the results will enable
employers, retailers, politicians and others to better cater to the needs and
concerns of black, professional women in Britain today.
I hope you enjoy reading about our incredible Powerlistees, both women and
men and all of their inspirational stories.
I want to thank our talented and dedicated editorial team, Ching-Li, Angus, all
of our writers, and our publisher, who work with me to make this such a special
magazine. The Powerlist remains unique as a publication that unashamedly
writes about and celebrates the achievements of black Britons.
So, next time you hear someone talking about black Britons, especially
women, being ignored or read the stories are only ever negative, point them in
our direction. We’d be only too happy to set the record straight.

Eva Simpson
Editor

6 Powerlist 2018