It’s been over a year since George Floyd’s murder made the Black Lives Matter movement globally recognised. Since then, the struggle for racial justice and equality has permeated organisations and communities, including Chatham House. In recognition of its advocacy and campaigning, and as part of its centenary celebrations, Chatham House staff awarded the Black Lives Matter movement its Centenary Diversity Champion Award. Melina Abdullah, co-founder of the BLM Los Angeles chapter came to Chatham House to accept it. In this episode we bring you Melina Abdullah’s acceptance speech in full.

Then, Chatham House’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Working Group talk about how far we’ve come in our understanding of race and international affairs and the importance of organisations like Chatham House reckoning with its past.

Read Ben’s interview with Melina Abdullah here:
https://www.chathamhouse.org/publications/the-world-today/2021-10/qa-melina-abdullah

Watch the Chatham House Centenary Diversity Award event: https://www.chathamhouse.org/events/all/special-event/chatham-house-centenary-diversity-champion-award

Credits:

Speakers: Melina Abdullah, Binni Brynolf, Leah de Haan, Yusuf Hassan, Joseph Osayande, Nina van der Mark

Host: Amrit Swali

Editor: Jamie Reed

Recorded and produced by Chatham House.