Page 14 - Powerlist 2020

Let’s work together to

create more excellence

his is the 14th time I’ve written benefit from something we know
a publisher’s letter for the about and informing them about it,
TPowerlist and on the pages recommending them for it or simply
following this page, in each and every using their product or service to get
publication, including this one, we it done.
unearth exceptional men and women
of African, African Caribbean and It can’t be that hard to achieve this
African American heritage who excel change because every other racial
at what they do for a living. demographic does it as standard. And
Every year a large number of thesm without repeating all of the clichés
come together at the Powerlist Black about unity equating to strength – the
Excellence Awards – the annual fact is, it actually does.
MICHAEL EBODA black-tie dinner we host to launch the As Dr Martin Luther King Jr said:
Powerlist – and they network with one
PUBLISHER another, catch up with friends and “Every man must decide whether
acquaintances, and generally have a he will walk in the light of creative
wonderful time. altruism or in the darkness of
destructive selfishness.”
And then they go home and far too
many of them will not see, hear from, What choice will you make?
or think about the people they have On another note, it is pleasing to

spent time with in that room until the see the number of Powerlistees who
following year, when the cycle repeats have been all too willing to partake
itself all over again. in our mentoring scheme in which
We need to alter the narrative. Powerlistees mentor Future Leaders
It’s no longer acceptable for such a for a period of 12 months. Not a
powerful group of people simply to single one of the 30 or so people
meet and pat each other on the back we approached even flinched at the
once a year.
idea. And the feedback has been
The Powerlist was created to phenomenal. I really wish I had a
facilitate the progress of black people pound for each time I’ve heard the
in the UK and to the extent that it has phrase ‘life changing’ having asked a
brought together a number of men Future Leader what they think about
and women at a certain level who
otherwise would not have known one the scheme.
another, it has succeeded. But now we A while ago we set out to ensure
have to turn the dial and ensure our that we had gender parity in the
interaction with one another becomes numbers of men an women on the
more than that. It’s time for us to start Powerlist. This year, for the first time,
consciously supporting one another in there are more women on the list.
what we do.
It isn’t difficult to figure out how
to make this happen. All it needs This edition of the Powerlist is
is for each and every one of us to dedicated to the memory of Jude
consciously think about whom we Boansi, a young man who interned
know from our network of African, with Powerful Media a few years ago
African Caribbean and African and sadly passed away on August 20,
American contacts who may 2019. Rest in peace, Jude.