Page 89 - Powerlist 2019 - Digital Edition

t’s been two years since Marvin further within a number of roles across
Rees’s historic victory which saw STEPPING UP different sectors, including a position
Ihim become the UK’s first elected Marvin pledged to champion a with the NHS as the programme
mayor of African and African Caribbean new leadership landscape across manager for race equality in mental
descent, a symbolic win in Bristol for a the city that was more reflective health issues across Bristol, South Public Sector & Third Sector
man who had to overcome poverty and of the city’s population, and has Gloucestershire and North Somerset.
racism in a city struggling with racial launched his leadership initiative, He also had a successful spell in
and social tensions. Stepping Up. The programme media and communications, working
When his father arrived from Jamaica is an accelerated one- to three- for prominent organisations such as
year career progression pipeline
50 years ago, he was greeted by signs that aims to ensure people from BBC Radio Bristol, the World Service
saying: “No Irish, no blacks, no dogs.” BAME backgrounds can succeed and the Black Development Agency.
But Marvin says his election shows how in getting into positions of power Marvin’s passion to learn about
much of a journey his beloved city has and influence, and equips them society’s problems and address
been on. with the tools to become leaders. inequalities meant that he was a natural
And the Labour politician – who The aim is to promote local fit within politics.
makes his debut on the Powerlist this talent and help people through As a member of the Labour Party
year – is following in the footsteps of the mentoring, workshops and peer from 2004, the Operation Black Vote
fearless men and women behind the learning sessions. The initiative, alumni decided to run for mayor in 2012.
Bristol Bus Boycott of 1963 by using his one of the first of its kind in the He lost out to former architect and
country, has more than 30 private
voice to eradicate racism and make his and public sector organisations entrepreneur George Ferguson, but far
community fairer for everyone. on board. Marvin said: “We want from pushing him out of the limelight,
Addressing some of the issues and to be at the forefront of providing his story inspired two filmmakers to
inequalities that exist for young people opportunities for all communities produce a documentary of his story in
from ethnic minority backgrounds and to help meet our aspirations for the context of Bristol’s history and the
disadvantaged Bristolians have been the city and share in the benefits 1963 bus boycott by Asians and black
high on Marvin’s agenda. of that success.” employees.
He says he has been making good Released earlier this year, The Mayor’s
progress on his top priority – the Race follows Marvin’s journey during
building of 2,000 homes a year by and being called the N-word. “This was the 2012 mayoral election campaign
2020, nearly half of which will be not unusual; this was normal,” he says. to his eventual win four years later,
affordable. “Normal. But it was strange, because, and gets viewers closer to the story of
“We’ve also signed a construction for me, there was a strange cocktail of a man who has experienced poverty
charter with unions to improve working race and class. and racism, and wants to use politics to
conditions in the city, and created a “Some of the closest people to us shape the society that he believes in.
children’s charter to pledge that every were poor, white kids. They were our Filmmaker Rob Mitchell said: “His
young person in Bristol gets off to the natural cohort.” story is as much, if not more, about the
best start in life,” he says. It took time, but he eventually poverty, the class thing.
“Something else that I am particularly reached a place of acceptance, “He definitely does not want to be
proud of is that Bristol recently became concluding “if the world can’t cope ‘the black guy’, and the film is about
the first local authority in the UK to sign with my identity, it’s not me that’s the whether someone from his background
up as a ‘Ban the Box’ employer. problem” – and he set about building of poverty could stand, and even win,
“This means we are removing barriers his career. an election to be mayor.
to employment for people with criminal He read Economic History and “There’s a bit in the movie where he
convictions in applicable roles, and Politics at Swansea University, going says that he doesn’t want to make a
leading the way in becoming a more on to study two Masters degrees, one comparison with Barack Obama, but
inclusive employer.” at Swansea in Political Theory and given they are both running for election
Taking over Britain’s 11th largest Government and the second in Global at the same time, there is a comparison
city was daunting, but Marvin says he Economic Development at Eastern to be made.
has got to grips with the high-profile University, Pennsylvania. “Just him standing means something,
leadership role by not over-thinking it Beginning his career in the voluntary it’s an achievement in itself.”
and simply getting stuck in. sector, Marvin worked with a number And it’s this personal journey that
“Nothing can really make you ready of internationally known agencies, Marvin says puts him in a good position
to lead a city, although I believe that including Christian Aid. to address the ongoing issues around
each step makes you ready for the next Keen to hone his leadership skills, race and class that exist in his home
one,” he says. he spent significant periods across the city. He once said: “I talk to mixed-
“Every challenge and opportunity Atlantic and was among a select few race kids, and I think there’s a really
along the way helps you grow and I’m candidates chosen to participate in the rich seam there to be mined, about
embracing both.” Yale World Fellows, a programme that identity, Britishness, belonging and not
His success is particularly impressive supports emerging leaders who have belonging, and how we make peace
given how difficult his childhood already established a professional name after historical injustices.”
was. Born and raised in Lawrence for themselves. Yet when it comes to advice for
Weston and Easton – two of the most In the role he assisted Tony Campolo, aspiring BAME leaders, he is keen to
deprived districts in the city – he has an adviser to then US President Bill move away from the issue of race. “We
spoken openly about the challenges Clinton, on areas around social justice all have an ethnicity so I don’t agree
he faced being a mixed-race boy where he helped set up a student that this is a distinction to make. I would
from an economically disadvantaged group. encourage people to think about what
household. He recalls walking to school In the UK, he developed his skills they mean by ‘leadership’.”

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