In conversation with Noha Nasser, an architect, urban designer and bridging cultures expert

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

We are thrilled to bring you our next interview with the fascinating Noha Nasser, an architect, founder of a social enterprise and brigding cultures expert. Having lived and worked in multiple countries throughout her life, diverse cultures have shaped Noha's thinking and ultimately fuelled her current focus with her social enterprise. For Noha, 'co-design' and 'place-making' are more than just buzzwords, they are an integral part of creating flourishing communities. Here Noha shares with us her inspiring journey, which ultimately influenced her debut book, Bridging Cultures: A guide to social innovation in cosmopolitan cities.

1. Let's start from the beginning! Tell us about you, your upbringing and how you got to where you are today.

Well, I was born in London to Egyptian parents, both architects. I grew up in London in the 1970s when racism was rife. Luckily, I didn’t experience racism first hand but a few of my South Asian friends did. I learnt at an early age to bridge cultures, keeping my networks and friendships open. The bridging cultures strategies stayed with me all my life and influenced my work. I lived in London until I was 12 and then we moved to Egypt where I had to bridge cultures all over again. I graduated from Cairo University top of my class with a BSc in Architectural Engineering but my real passion was urban design.

I was only 21 when I moved again, this time first to Saudi Arabia for two years and then Japan for four. Even here, more bridging culture strategies were needed to integrate as much as possible into these contexts.

I began my MPhil/PhD in the intersection of culture and urban design at Birmingham School of Architecture shortly after graduating so I was traveling (and settling), doing a PhD, working and bringing up a young family all at once.

" I grew up in London in the 1970s when racism was rife. Luckily, I didn’t experience racism first hand but a few of my South Asian friends did. I learnt at an early age to bridge cultures, keeping my networks and friendships open. The bridging cultures strategies stayed with me all my life and influenced my work."

I finally settled back in the UK in 1996 where I moved around again, living in London, Liverpool and finally settling in Birmingham for 11 years where I launched my career and post-doctoral studies.

I was fortunate enough to become Course Director shaping the new MA Urban Design course. It was a dynamic programme that went beyond an ordinary Masters to involve local practitioners in CPD, an annual conference, and engagement with local diverse communities in shaping urban regeneration areas in the West Midlands.

My research supported the course by focusing on social inclusion in public spaces, genuine community co-design and engagement and recording of post-colonial South Asian urban transformations in large industrial cities in the UK. In fact, I ran a number of international conferences while on post-doctoral scholarships at University of California Berkeley, and University of South Australia on Muslims in the contemporary Western City.

I went part-time in academia in 2012. I started my own business in 2015, MELA, that pulled together my passions of social cohesion, cultural diversity and the democratic promise of public spaces.

"In my own work, I always start with understanding who makes up the place; what cultures? What social groups? Who is empowered? And who needs some further assistance to become involved?"

2. Why is cultural diversity so important? Can you share any examples of where you've incorporated this into your work?

We know that statistically we are living in an increasingly globalised and culturally diverse world. This is down to a number of factors including the movement of people, the higher birth rate of some cultures, and lower birth rates in many European, North American and Scandinavian countries. So, we can’t ignore the fact that we will be seeing more and more unfamiliar faces in our neighbourhoods. At the same time, we are moving further right politically, leaving many places more segregated than ever. That is why we have to seriously consider how we are engaging people and design places that promote intercultural exchange.

In my own work, I always start with understanding who makes up the place; what cultures? What social groups? Who is empowered? And who needs some further assistance to become involved? This can only happen when you are immersed in a place for days and weeks on end, walking the streets, talking to people. From there I build the project around what people need or want that would bring them together more, and benefit the place socially, economically and physically. I have done this work primarily in Birmingham where my networks are strong in places like Balsall Heath, Handsworth and Aston.

3. Your book 'Bridging Cultures' sounds fascinating? Tell us more about this and what has the response been?

Bridging Cultures: A guide to social innovation in cosmopolitan cities is like a manifesto which explores practical ways to build bridging capital; the cross-cultural networks that help build trust, resilience, and collaboration, using public spaces as the space of encounter. The book makes the case that social interactions are key to building social cohesion and breaking down stereotypes. Several socially innovative case studies from around the world showcase best practice with simple techniques – many based on temporary spaces in which the range of activities build those important social bonds.

"Setting up MELA was my way of introducing how to think about place"

Besides the manifesto aspects of the book, Bridging Cultures Roundtables have become a methodology in engaging with cities to co-produce an action plan. The public sector often leads the conversation and the private, voluntary community, creative and social enterprise sectors are invited to the table to identify together the challenges facing the city in bridging its cultures and creating inclusive spaces. Together they proceed to hear ideas from each other and arrive to solutions that they plan to develop in the short, medium and long term. The Bridging Cultures Roundtables have been endorsed by Council Leaders and Mayors in several cities including Birmingham, Bristol, Dublin, Camden in London, Odessa in the Ukraine, and Limassol in Cyprus. The methodology has also been adopted by the Council of Europe Intercultural Cities Network, of which I am an expert on public space.

4. What is MELA? How and why did you start this?

MELA started after the publication of my first book. Setting up MELA was my way of introducing how to think about place, starting with the building of social networks and activities that happen, then thinking how these can be strengthened in designing and curating public spaces. I felt it was a gap in urban design and the built environment practices.

5. Co-design seems like the ultimate buzzword, everyone loves to throw it in but how do you truly achieve this?

"In co-design, power is either equally shared or even better is led by local people, enabled by those in power to become stewards of their place."

Co-design is fundamentally about collaboration between those with local knowledge (the community in its broadest representation) and those with the technical skills to develop solutions (such as the architects, master planners, planners, and surveyors). To achieve true collaboration, it has to be about sharing power. Ordinarily the Local Authority, the Government, Developer, Investor and their technical consultants have the most power in shaping places. But in co-design, this power is either equally shared or even better is led by local people, enabled by those in power to become stewards of their place.

6. Finally, on a more personal note, tell us about your love for walking and nature. What solace has this give you during the pandemic?

It has been invaluable to maintain physical and mental health during these testing times. I run a group called Hiking Lovers and throughout the pandemic we would set a monthly date, time and theme to explore our local area. We then would share photos and reflections in real time, as if we were together. We had people all over the UK and our themes included trees, views, wildlife, bluebells and flowers, and skies. In fact, I wrote a blog with some of the Hiking Lovers in the form of haikus. You can find them here.

Why does it take a tragedy to question our action?

An open letter to our readers from Anna Sabine, Chairman of MPC, who shares her rage and sadness on the tragic disappearance and murder of Sarah Everard. Once unknown, within a few days, Sarah has become the symbol of what it means to say ‘text me when you get home’, which now has a deeper meaning than it first ever did. This case raises questions not only about design, safety and women in public spaces, but about the people who create them. What can we do to genuinely be transformative in our change? Anna shares her thoughts below.

Women, and more specifically the issue of what more men could be doing to support women, has been in the news this week thanks to the tragic disappearance of Sarah Everard. Dame Cressida Dick, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said that many women would be 'scared' by what had occurred; I only know women who are ragingly angry about it. I am very wary of 'using' a tragedy like this to make a wider point, but I feel very passionately that there are so many areas in life where what women really need is for men to step up and take some action. So often, men seem to think they have no role to play when it comes to womens' issues; indeed what’s made many women so cross this week is the suggestion that the solution to male violence was for women to stay home, or take more precautions, or 'be scared', rather than for men to change their attitudes and behaviour.

"Wouldn’t it be amazing to have more male colleagues who, when asked to be on a panel, suggest a female colleague they think might be more suitable?"

In the property industry, I get very frustrated that the response to gender inequality seems to be that women set up various organisations to help other women; and that once they become well known, big firms tick a diversity box by sponsoring these women’s groups, and in a sense get to dodge the fundamentals like tackling their gender pay inequality, rubbish conditions for women, or all male boards. It almost smacks of ”It’s ok, the ladies are having a lunch to talk about inequality, we’ll sponsor the canapes, job done. Oh and don’t forget to put a photo of our one female employee on LinkedIn this week – it’s International Women’s Day…”

At MPC I set up the Gender Champions campaign to try to get men in the industry to understand that despite our best efforts, nothing would significantly change for women unless men stepped forward to make real, committed change – including change which might ultimately be at their expense. Wouldn’t it be amazing to have more male colleagues who, when asked to be on a panel, suggest a female colleague they think might be more suitable? Who call out the unsuitable behaviour of their colleagues, (ranging from organising yet another golf day, to full on groping at MIPIM)?

Anna with her gender champions at MPC.

"It’s often the hardest things we have to contemplate which are the most important to consider."

I wonder if the same may be true for BAME groups within the industry: are white members of the property sector aware enough that the onus on improving ethnic diversity is actually on us? I used to issue all new staff at MPC with a copy of Sheryl Sandberg’s “Lean In”; I feel like the time has come instead to send everyone a copy of Reni Eddo Lodge’s “Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People about Race”. So many of the lame excuses for inaction on both BAME and gender equality are the same:“It’s really hard to find BAME/female candidates; BAME candidates/women don’t apply for jobs; we have to employ the best person for the job” (as though this and someone being BAME/female might be mutually exclusive).

It's clear from Twitter that a lot of white men are feeling pretty challenged this week – Piers Morgan being the perfect example. I’d say I’m sorry for them but I’m not. It’s often the hardest things we have to contemplate which are the most important to consider, and if you’re a white man reading this and feeling affronted I would ask you to take a step back, and consider (i) do I consider myself to be someone who is fairly switched on about race and gender and if yes, (ii) what practical, tangible steps am I actually taking in my professional life to improve representation for both of these groups? Because if the answer is not much, then don’t be surprised if not much changes as a result.

BAME in Property adds LandAid to 2021 charity partners

BAME in Property is pleased to add LandAid, the property industry charity, to its 2021 charity partners, to help raise awareness about homelessness within BAME communities.

This is part of LandAid’s Networks Against Homelessness initiative, bringing together 10 networks and membership organisations from across the built environment sector to help achieve its mission to end youth homelessness.

Founding members are: BAME in Property, Building Equality, Freehold, Ladies in Real Estate, London Property Alliance, Luxury Property Forum, Real Estate Balance, RE Women UKAA and ULI.

Youth homelessness adversely affects young people from minority backgrounds with 27% of young people accessing services coming from BAME communities and 24% of young people identifying as LGBTQ+.

Moved by this shocking statistic and the risks young LGBTQ+ homeless people face, Freehold led by its co-chair, David Mann, joined other property networks to create Networks Against Homelessness and pledge to support LandAid’s mission to end youth homelessness, particularly among LGBTQ+ people. The aim of Networks Against Homelessness is to harness the collective membership of leading real estate and construction networks to work together to help LandAid achieve its aim to end youth homelessness.

BAME in Property has chosen to support this important charity because youth homelessness within BAME communities is significantly high and the reasons for homelessness often encompass cultural and religious factors, requiring diverse perspectives to be understood.

We cannot talk about homelessness without acknowledging the significant systemic racism, which impacts Black (and other ethnic minority) families and their access to housing finance, services and support.

Statutory homelessness figures released by the government on 1 October 2020, showed that Black people are three times more likely to experience homelessness. Additionally, a quarter of people making homelessness applications to local councils are from BAME groups, even though they make up just 11% of all households. Underlying these statistics are a whole host of reasons leading to BAME homelessness, such as multigenerational living, overcrowding and exposure to pollution. In particular, we cannot talk about homelessness without acknowledging the significant systemic racism, which impacts Black (and other ethnic minority) families and their access to housing finance, services and support.

Paul Morish, Chief Executive, LandAid says: “LandAid is proud to bring together such a diverse range of networks and membership organisations to unite behind our mission. The built environment sector is working hard to improve diversity and inclusion and many of Networks Against Homelessness have a key role in improving this. A big thanks to David for spearheading this initiative – one which will make a huge impact on our mission and take us steps closer to ending youth homelessness.”

Priya Shah, Founder and Director of BAME in Property says: “I am really pleased to add LandAid to our charity partners and help raise awareness about an incredibly important issue. Working together with other networks and companies, we hope to amplify our impact and outreach. This is not only to support vulnerable people but due to our social responsibility - going beyond bricks and mortar and supporting the development of thriving communities.”

From 8-14th February 2021, BAME in Property will be running a social media campaign to educate the industry and beyond about homelessness within BAME communities. Look out for this content on our LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram pages.

BAME in Property will be supporting LandAid throughout 2021, alongside its other charity partner, Binti Period, a charity that ensures every girl has menstrual dignity. You can learn more about BAME in Property’s charity partners on our website here: https://www.bameinproperty.com/partners.

‘Industry, Innovation and Inclusion’

This week, we welcome Michelle McLaughlin, Business Development Executive and DEI Group member at GIA Surveyors to share what her organisation is doing to put its people at the heart of its diversity and inclusion policy. From collaborative placemaking to cultivating awareness and education about global events and festivals, GIA Surveyors has really embedded diversity and inclusion within its overall organisational strategy.

It goes without saying that as a multi-disciplinary practice of Chartered Surveyors, we’re extremely passionate about placemaking. But do you know what we’re even more passionate about? People! The true value of our company is our people and we’re proud to have an extremely diverse workforce from all corners of the globe.

“Our people” – who operate across our regional offices in London, Manchester, Belfast, Bristol and Dublin - are a 150 strong bunch comprising sixteen different nationalities, (and counting!), each with unique backgrounds, unique strengths, unique vulnerabilities and ultimately unique stories. Our common denominator? We all care about people and we care about the built environment.

Unlike previous ideals of ‘New Year, New Start’, collectively - locally, regionally, nationally, globally - we enter this year, very much entwined and continuing from the last. There’s sadness in the continuation of loss of lives, livelihoods and human connections, but amidst this, there has been small flickers of hope and progress.

At GIA Surveyors, our vision is to be the natural choice in shaping the built environment through informed surveying services. For 27 years, we have been delivering accurate strategic guidance and solutions to inform the positive development of our communities. Whilst our role in placemaking is often behind the scenes - working with architects, developers, planners, neighbours - our technological innovations enable our teams to provide a more contextual approach to planning and development. We don’t believe in a ‘one size fits all’ approach to our work or ourselves: in the same way that every project on which we consult has a unique brief, requiring a bespoke solution, every member of our team has their own unique values, which are important to them, and to us.

Our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Group was formed in Spring 2020, to lead GIA Surveyor’s committed mission: for every member of the team to have access to the same opportunities, and to feel supported, safe and heard.

Any consideration of our 2021 vision would neither be complete, nor logical without reflecting on the significant year that’s come before it. Unlike previous ideals of ‘New Year, New Start’, collectively - locally, regionally, nationally, globally - we enter this year, very much entwined and continuing from the last. There’s sadness in the continuation of loss of lives, livelihoods and human connections, but amidst this, there has been small flickers of hope and progress: the resilience of communities; the ability of technology to bring people together virtually and the continuation of demand for racial and social justice and equality.

Urbanisation provides vast potential for social inclusion and whilst we talk a great deal about futureproofing our towns, cities and spaces, this must also include our communities.

Inequality has long existed in our built environment, not only in how our communities have been shaped, but who shaped them. There have been many calls to increase diversity across the property and planning sector. An Urban Designer first, I’ve always been passionate about collaborative placemaking that has local people at the heart of every project. It’s people who truly make places what they are and nowhere is that better demonstrated than in London. Every street, every nook, has its own character; there’s anticipation, and diversity, around every corner.

To me, London is every culture in one city. But here and beyond, gentrification has become a topic of contentious debate: making places aesthetically more pleasing, new resources and amenities, at the consequence of shifting a neighbourhood’s unique characteristics, diluting heritage and community culture. This can be a tough balance to achieve within the development industry, as there is no clear-cut answer. Urbanisation provides vast potential for social inclusion and whilst we talk a great deal about futureproofing our towns, cities and spaces, this must also include our communities.

Our DEI Group believe that education can cultivate awareness and understanding, which in turn can facilitate change. This has been at the core of our initiatives to date, from supporting and celebrating Pride, to Diwali and Hanukah, to our deep interest in the most prolific movement of the past year, Black Lives Matter. George Floyd’s murder ignited a movement – voices were no longer willing to be silenced.

October 2020’s Black History Month was an important opportunity to educate ourselves on notable black people who have helped shape our environment – the built, the social and the cultural - through insightful research and short stories curated by our team, from Sir David Adjaye, to Walter Tull, Olive Morris and more. The insights gained were tremendous, yet as we know, a small step within the grandeur of our social responsibility; for as recent events in the US have shown, the importance of Black Lives Matter is greater than ever.

Whilst we believe we are doing things in the right way, we can all benefit from reviewing from the inside out with a new lens - whether that’s addressing ethnicity gaps and opportunities that may exist within our companies to eliminating unconscious bias.

Coincidentally, the final day of Black History Month fell on World Cities Day - the day’s 2020 theme: ‘Valuing our communities and cities’, couldn’t have been more poignant. Many of us have gained a new-found appreciation for aspects of urban life that were once taken for granted. There’s been a welcome shift in thinking which has generated a new found appreciation for the role our communities and their diverse cultures play, not only in shaping our very towns and cities, but in maintaining the community spirit that has been pivotal in keeping people safe and maintaining economic activities and development throughout these challenging times. It’s important that we protect the unique assets of our people and communities in the ways that we can.

GIA’s endeavours are not just for the short-term but a genuine long-term investment in our people. We aspire to have a workforce that feel free to be themselves and to burst with creative spirit that reflects the diversity, not only of the fantastic cities we currently operate in, but the cities that are unique to the individuals of our team and part and parcel of their heritage. Whilst we believe we are doing things in the right way, we can all benefit from reviewing from the inside out with a new lens - whether that’s addressing ethnicity gaps and opportunities that may exist within our companies to eliminating unconscious bias. We are committed to regularly reviewing how we operate; we will continue to speak to our people, and truly listen to what they have to say. We will continue to be educated and learn from lived experiences. There is power in everyday action, and in the timeless words of Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr ~ “The time is always right to do what is right.”

Whilst the New Year doesn’t signal a dissipation of challenges, we enter 2021 proud of the resilience of our industry, our communities and our team. I’m proud to be part of a team that has Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, but most importantly people, at the fore of what we do: without our people we wouldn’t have a story to tell or a service to provide.

Difficult times often bring about change, and I’m hopeful that development that has people's health, happiness, and well-being at the core can be the only way forward, because development can only be sustainable if it delivers for all.

We’re incredibly thankful that amidst the challenging times, we can continue to operate ‘business as usual’ and continue to have a role in shaping future spaces. Our technological advancements have enabled our clients to progress through the development process remotely and attain planning consent at virtual committees - keeping the system moving.

The pandemic has shifted people’s thinking in what is important to them – from the homes they live in, to their values and how they see themselves in their own communities. Difficult times often bring about change, and I’m hopeful that development that has people's health, happiness, and well-being at the core can be the only way forward, because development can only be sustainable if it delivers for all.

In conversation with Daniel Akinola-Odusola, a cognitive scientist, creative strategist, and STEAM and ethics advocate

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

BAME in Property is back with our interviews and we’re thrilled to have the fascinating Daniel Akinola-Odusola as our first guest on the virtual hotseat for 2021. A human-data scientist, a creative founder, a workshop facilitator and a STEAM mentor, Daniel is one busy individual. He tells us about the different projects he’s got his teeth into, his expanding network, the meaningful mentoring he provides and how he has adapted his work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Safe to say, we can all learn a fair bit from Daniel, who also shares some great tips about reclaiming boundaries, not falling victim to the hustle culture, and ensuring you take sufficient rest to be your best self.

1. Let's start from the beginning, tell us about you, your upbringing and education, and how you became a self-proclaimed 'data nerd'!

I was born in London but schooled in the Chicago suburbs, moving from private to public school just before secondary. My parents thankfully allowed my sister and I to follow a lot of our interests growing up. I have always been intensely into music, comedy, technology, and science/speculative fiction.

Going into university, I was torn between becoming a material scientist and an architect (my mum’s initial profession) and started attending Dartmouth College as an engineer. Halfway through my degree, I realised that I wanted a more human and political element to my scientific studies and switched to cognitive science (consisting of philosophy, psychology, computer science, and linguistics courses). I believe this experience of so many different courses laid the foundation for how I currently approach novel problems – getting to the heuristics, the “who”, and the “why”.

I interned with an NGO, some psychology research, and an internet of things start-up, before deciding to attend King’s College London for a Neuroimaging MSc to be more qualified as a scientist on paper. It was a fantastic experience that made me realise I really do enjoy human data, communications, and experimental design. I am still close with the programme leader who invited me to go back and talk about life post-MSc to students a couple of times before the programme disbanded.

2. You're involved in multiple projects, tell us a bit about them and why they are important to you (particularly interested in the Centric Lab and your work with STEM)

My work with Centric Lab was born of a working relationship I already had with the founders when they kindly took me into their former coworking space, THECUBE, in exchange for running the Neuroscience London monthly meet up. My first project was to create the Stress Risk Score (SRS) which would visualise the relative risk of pollutants in different areas of London by turning the research Centric had gathered from current literature and open-source data into easier to understand scales and maps. They allowed me to nerd out on self-learning the qGIS software and coming up with the first SRS map. This work is important because of the healthy environment of respect and shared values. I am given license to be an inter-disciplinary scientist and encouraged to assess everything we do philosophically and ethically.

A few failed projects in neurotech and data science, some pro bono work, and my Centric experience have given me more insight into my value and motivation as a data and ethics advisor for sole traders and SME founders

My work with Citizens with Experience (CWE) was derived from Centric sending me to a workshop at the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) that CWE was running. After the workshop, I got talking with Rob who wanted to have a more data and neuro influence in some of the projects. We are currently prioritising work on how to promote psychological safe spaces and democratised design.

I created Daotive Thinking to be a brand and service that comes from my inherent skills and experiences with human-centred data. A few failed projects in neurotech and data science, some pro bono work, and my Centric experience have given me more insight into my value and motivation as a data and ethics advisor for sole traders and SME founders who want to create ethical purpose and value for their target communities.

Lastly, I have been tutoring MSc students (usually foreign) in scientific writing and statistics for dissertations as well as taking on the occasional GCSE math or science student. I really enjoy making STEM accessible to students and find a lot of enjoyment in STEM mentoring and facilitation.

3. Did your work evolve during the COVID-19 pandemic? how? why is it important?

Now is a time where work must be more intentional and iterative because whether you are dealing with students, local communities and authorities, small businesses, or others, the human problems of Brexit and the pandemic exist on top of the usual uncertainty. For instance, the GCSEs are cancelled this year which removes that avenue of work and income this winter and spring (again) but doesn’t stop me from thinking of content I can make that will be useful for students who want to still build their confidence in these topics.

4. How important is diversity in all of the work you do? What have you learnt from working in diverse teams?

Diversity must be done in the right environment for more than simple tokenism or you are doing more harm than good.

While I do not currently work in any teams outside of our small team at Centric Lab and some of my CWE work, I will highlight that there is inherent diversity in both. However, diversity must be done in the right environment for more than simple tokenism or you are doing more harm than good. There must be respect and an acknowledgement of boundaries and consent within a diverse group or you can be contributing to someone’s trauma or development of imposter syndrome.

5. As we've entered another year of the COVID-19 pandemic, what are some of the habits you are changing in your work? What tips would you give to our readers?

My work process in the previous year or two was not very heavily planned. I said “yes” to anything I had time for which probably balanced with having a social life but still living alone to be able to reset. The “yes” mentality burned me out multiple times since the pandemic hit because technology makes you always available or not at all. New, meaningful networks are harder to create. My work stopped on all fronts for most of the year in what was my first year going fully contract-based and self-employed.

Treat rest and breaks as an investment in the same way that most health and exercise benefits come from the recovery.

I spent the end of last year figuring out my comfortable level of planning. I personally prefer using a blank notebook as opposed to a dated planner and planning my tasks by the week. It gives me the flexibility to switch the days around on some tasks but ensure they are done on time. It also allows me to rest when needed and make up for it.

Treat rest and breaks as an investment in the same way that most health and exercise benefits come from the recovery. Work on creating psychological safety in your schedule and discuss this with family, friends, and colleagues so that they are aware of your needs, boundaries, and intentions. Get comfortable saying “no” without coming up with an excuse.

My work with Citizens with Experience (CWE) was derived from Centric sending me to a workshop at the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) that CWE was running. After the workshop, I got talking with Rob who wanted to have a more data and neuro influence in some of the projects. We are currently prioritising work on how to promote psychological safe spaces and democratised design.

I created Daotive Thinking to be a brand and service that comes from my inherent skills and experiences with human-centred data. A few failed projects in neurotech and data science, some pro bono work, and my Centric experience have given me more insight into my value and motivation as a data and ethics advisor for sole traders and SME founders who want to create ethical purpose and value for their target communities.

Lastly, I have been tutoring MSc students (usually foreign) in scientific writing and statistics for dissertations as well as taking on the occasional GCSE math or science student. I really enjoy making STEM accessible to students and find a lot of enjoyment in STEM mentoring and facilitation.

I forced myself to have 3-week break to reset and come back free from the hustle culture mentality.

6. What's next for you and your hustling?

I forced myself to have 3-week break to reset and come back free from the hustle culture mentality. I want to publish and create products in each hustle to complement the service work I do since we are likely to stay in remote circumstances for at least the next few seasons.

At Centric Lab, we have the whole year mapped out on the various mediums we are using to give the people and communities the knowledge and tools to understand and fight for their health. I am really excited to get back to work again and about what we have in store.

For Daotive Thinking, I plan on organically finding founders and key-decision makers who want support on tasks such as prototyping and feedback, consensual data use with their community, and community-led innovation. I will build content from this work to create templates and case studies for people who don’t need or can’t afford dedicated help.

For Daotive Learning, I plan to help create content that makes STEM topics for exams and dissertations more accessible but also mentor early career workers and students on how they can take a STEAM (STEM with the inclusion of Arts) approach to their interests to create a portfolio or build a career. This would be particularly interesting in underrepresented groups.

CWE work prior to the pandemic was very dependent on spaces and institutions that may not be available for a while. I am focusing on what value can be created through workshops or content that help people with psychological safe spaces and design during this pandemic.

I have made this the first year that I build creativity into my calendar in terms of music, art, and publication. I started a podcast last year that has also become a Medium publication, called Daotive Living, that I want to revisit soon that blends my interest in culture, psychology, and philosophy.

2020 was bad, here's how you can start 2021 on the right foot

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

To say that 2020 was an eventful year is a bit of an understatement. Not only did COVID-19 wreak havoc globally, it also seemed to have a disproportionate impact on BAME populations. Furthermore, the killing of George Floyd led to many conversations about the lack of diversity and inclusivity in the workplace and the property sector has not been exempt from this. Given how essential property is to our everyday lives, it seems to me that the property sector is in a prime place to advocate for and take on the challenge of improving inclusion in their industry. But how?

1. Looking outside of our usual networks – stop hiring in your own image

According to Bisnow's 2019 survey on Racism, less than 10 percent of people currently working in the built environment identify as BAME, so though it is often the case that many people want to hire in their image, it is vital that those hiring make the effort to look outside of their usual networks and actively search for people from different backgrounds. Not only do organisations who are diverse tend to be more successful but it would also give people the opportunity to share new perspectives and ideas that you don’t already have. Ultimately, hiring outside of your usual circles helps to improve the pipeline for younger BAME professionals.

2. Provide support for people already in your organisation

Whilst the percentage of BAME people working in the built environment is low, it is important to provide support opportunities for those colleagues. This could be an internal network for staff such as British Land's REACH (Race, Equality and Celebrating Heritage) Network, or an external network such as BAME in Property or DiverseCity Surveyors. These networks can also provide support for more junior staff who might benefit from building connections with older and more experienced BAME professionals who are in a better position to help to advocate for changes in an organisation. By making this investment, it is a good step in showing that you are committed to supporting your colleagues and are willing to be held to account.

If you can’t see anyone who looks or sounds like you, then you might not even apply because it could look like there isn’t a space for someone like you.

3. Make your marketing more inclusive

When applying for a new job, most people will look at an organisation’s website and marketing material to see how diverse the organisation is and whether they could see themselves fitting in. But if you can’t see anyone who looks or sounds like you, then you might not even apply because it could look like there isn’t a space for someone like you. To change this, companies need to make an effort to ensure that this literature is inclusive and doesn’t just highlight colleagues who are white and with similar academic backgrounds but to also highlight a variety of traditional and non-traditional backgrounds and experiences as BAME professionals, so that people can see a place for them to fit in and succeed.

If the Property sector is going to become more inclusive, then they will have to remain accountable and commit to making changes that might not necessarily see immediate change. The sector will be all the better for it.

By Denean Rowe

Denean is Senior Development Officer at Centre for London, managing partnerships for their research projects and events. Prior to this, Denean worked as a Researcher for the Executive Search team at Badenoch & Clark. She focused on identifying new opportunities for business growth in economic development, regeneration and education in London. Outside of work, Denean’s interests are the relationship between the built environment and mental health and urban design in London.

Have We Got Planning News For You - BAME in Property special

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

The fantastic Have We Got Planning News For You invited BAME in Property founder, Priya Shah as a guest on their show.

Priya spoke candidly about how to encourage more people from BAME backgrounds to enter the industry, the unspoken issue of racism and the importance of getting Local Plans right to work for diverse demographics.

With the week’s theme being safari, grab yourself a rooibos or even better, an amarula and enjoy the antics.

HWGPNFY encourage all viewers to kindly make a donation to charity if they enjoy the show. BAME in Property’s 2020 charity partner is Binti Period and any donations would be gratefully appreciated and will go a long way in fighting period poverty in the UK and beyond.

Thank you for having us and we hope to return in the future!

Catch the full episode on the YouTube link below.

BAME in Property's Diwali 2020 message

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

This year like all major festivals and cultural events, Diwali will also not be celebrated in its usual vibrancy. But the spirit of Diwali is not cancelled. We hope you enjoy our short Diwali message.

With love, from BAME in Property x

Thank you everyone who took part, Grayling's fabulous creative team for video production and Bhavik Haria & friends for the beautiful music.

Confronting 'race' in the built environment profession

This week, we are delighted to have Harpriya Chaggar contribute an important blog about confronting race in the built environment. Harpriya completed her MSc in Urban Design and City Planning at UCL, The Bartlett School of Planning. In her final year, Harpriya’s projects focused on the significance of ethnic minorities in building healthy, sustainable communities. Using her thesis, she confronts the challenges in discussing ‘race’ in the built environment industry and how this has had major limitations on the quality of life for BIPoC communities.

The demand for racial and social justice has become more prominent than ever, as the escalation of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement this summer and COVID-19 disparities have positioned the lives of ethnic minorities as disregarded. The vast differences in livelihoods of deprived Black Indigenous People of Colour (BIPoC) communities and white affluent communities is alarming. While academic studies and government official documents touch on Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) in some shape or form, the barrier in truly confronting the challenges facing aspiring BIPoC individuals acquires further analysis. The importance of the built environment in facilitating racial equality is tremendous, as the built environment is founded on the shaping of communities.

Terminology is essential as part of this discussion, as we should collectively understand that there is no one size fits all when referring to groups of ethnic minorities, as individuals identify themselves in different ways. The continued use of ‘race’ in apostrophes highlights the detachment the term has on who it defines, alternatively ‘race’ should be viewed as a social construct (Chattoo, Atkins, Craig and Flynn, 2012).

The use of BIPoC, referring to ethnic minorities experiencing inequality has been suggested to be more inclusive and exhibits the intersectionality between multi ethnic groups. BIPoC shifts the narrative of these individuals at the ‘forefront of the dialogue’ and helps to classify ethnic groups by not only family birth origin but also individual story (Farseli and Vootkur, 2020).

Such terminology is relatively new in UK context. In this instance, social media has provided great insight on the importance of change in vocabulary as the current transformative period bares the conversation to be consciously in a pursuit to not leave anyone behind.

The research discussed in this article comes from my Master’s thesis, which sought to answer how structural racism denies planning objectives in improving the livelihood of BIPoC communities? Evidently, what became most apparent is the absence of BIPoC professionals in positions of agency, the deterrent in the education system that limits the skills pool for ethnic minorities, and the connotations present in language and behaviours that initiate continued actions of unconscious racial bias’. In the interviews that formed this research, words such as ‘degrading’, ‘demoralising’ and ‘exclusionary’ referred to the severity of the working circumstances for BIPoC and how this immediately dampens opportunities available to progress.

There is sensitivity in using the term 'Black' as a way to identify an individual of Black origin... Diversity should be celebrated, not disguised.

The richness in the data collected is partly owed to my personal identification; being a Punjabi woman in the built environment sector, the shared connection between myself and participants allowed the conversations to be organic, supporting the comfortability ethnic minorities have when given the opportunity to openly discuss ‘race’ amongst other ethnic minorities. These discussions exposed the emotions and manners linked with being a Person of Colour (PoC) in an industry which is mostly populated with white middle-aged men, and how unconscious and conscious attitudes mould the atmosphere. An example of this is the alleged sensitivity around using the term ‘Black’ as a way to identify an individual of Black origin, further demonstrating the unacceptance of unfamiliar cultures and supports this impression of colour blindness that suggests it’s offensive to identify someone as how they see themselves, i.e. Black. Diversity should be celebrated, not disguised.

Many of the participants experienced working in diverse London Boroughs, where there had often been one of two scenarios; 1. Exclusive atmosphere where authoritative figures were formed of senior white staff. 2. Sense of division between ethnic minority colleagues who hold negative assumptions of specific minority neighbourhoods. Emphasising, although a densely diverse city, London is very much a patchwork arrangement where the quality of diversity is slightly misinterpreted, and often concentrated to particular areas, which blurs the vision of D&I that should be adhered to. Thus, diminishing the value of diversity and its impact in making structural change.

... Senior colleagues bestow their trust to those who look like their children... PoC have to maximise their efforts to break into the industry.

It is implied detachment is rooted in the hiring process; familiarity is a significant attribute in limiting BIPoC prosperity, as interviewees shared when you do not physically represent your employer you often miss out. One participant viewed work place relationships as ‘parental’, where senior colleagues bestow their trust to those who look like their children. Such environments have built this recognition in PoC where they are aware their work efforts must be maximised to break through in the industry. Interviewees emphasised the acceptance of understanding why such stigmas are in place, allowing individuals to achieve the best from their circumstance. The mutual understanding between participants is that in order to move forward there should be a shared mindset to overcome oppression. Along this lies personal conflict around falling into stereotypes and fulfilling cultural identity, as BIPoC professionals try to promote the best image of themselves. For ethnic minorities, portraying work place professionalism goes deeper than acting in a proficient manner, it extends to ‘code switching’ and the requirement to adopt a new ‘vernacular’.

Supporting the research into power of BIPoC influence in the built environment, my study also queried the outputs of the industry, showing how under representation sacrifices the quality of the built environment and ultimately causes cases of environmental racism. Through research I found there has been significant neglect in labelling cases of environmental racism as environmental injustice, validating the colour blindness present in the UK. The persistent use of injustice in place of racism denies the severity of environmental racism to BIPoC communities, emphasising the apparent discomfort when discussing ‘race’. The covert behaviour in addressing environmental racism in the UK further demonstrates the inability to admit ‘inequality’ often translates to ‘structural racism’.

Spatial inequalities are a matter of social injustice, and in order to achieve social justice, power distribution needs to be evaluated.

In order to move forward with genuine aspirations of inclusivity, a holistic approach across sectors should be adopted. The weight given to built environment practitioners in perpetuating racial equality should not go underestimated. There is urgent need to unite thinking across sectors, undertaking what is understood as ‘inclusive’ and how BIPoC employees are valuable, not based on skin colour, but by experiences and knowledge of cultural diversity. Spatial inequalities are a matter of social injustice, and in order to achieve social justice, power distribution needs to be evaluated.

Ultimately the ambition should be focused on decolonising the system and its components that establish and maintain structural racism. Structural racism seeps through education, policy, and employment, all of which play a role in facilitating how individuals navigate through life and prosper. Now in the wake of BLM protests, there mustn’t be a silence over achieving racial and social justice. The removal of monuments was the beginning, however such actions are face value. Carmona emphasises that the aesthetics play a small part in place quality and value, and so although tearing down Edward Colston’s statue shows action, results should be directed in improving the health, wellbeing and prosperity of BIPoC communities (Rydin and Carmona, 2019). As a generation, we may not live the results of the change we seek. However, Gen Z should be acknowledged for their mindful thinking and how they will influence the way change evolves.

BAME in Property co-sponsors new industry-wide Diversity Pledge

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

BAME in Property is proud to co-sponsor New London Architecture's Diverse Leaders Pledge. As one of the leading ethnic diversity organisation's in the built environment industry, BAME in Property welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with an array of diversity networks, all making significant progress in their own right. Together we bring more skills, expertise and most importantly, the intersection of diversity, crucial to making lasting change.

The 14 organisations part of the Diverse Leader’s Pledge.

As a group of 14 organisations, we are inviting you as industry leaders to join us in making a pledge to help make the built environment sector more representative through the recruitment, progression and advocacy.

The built environment industry has identified the need to overcome chronic discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, age and socio-economic background to create a strengthened, resilient and representative workforce.

Diversity is an asset to any organisation, with a diverse workforce a business can expect diverse and dynamic solutions and outputs, appealing to broader audiences and ultimately becoming a more successful and profitable business. A McKinsey & Company global study from 2019 found that ethnically diverse companies are 36% more likely to have financial returns above national industry medians and gender diverse companies are 25% more likely to do the same.

We recognise that diversity and inclusion are multifaceted issues and that we need to tackle these subjects holistically to better engage and support all underrepresented groups within our industry. To do this, we believe we also need to address honestly and head-on the concerns and needs of people from underrepresented and non-traditional backgrounds and increase equity for all. Collectively as industry leaders we agree that we must do more.

For us, this means committing to measurable goals over the coming years that we believe will catalyse change, enabling engagement, action and progress around diversity and inclusion within the workplace, fostering collaboration across the built environment industry as a whole.

Sign up to the Diverse Leaders Pledge here.

Commenting on the pledge, BAME in Property Founder and Director, Priya Shah said:

"BAME in Property is proud to support the NLA's diversity pledge. It's not only important but necessary for the industry at such a crucial time in economic and social times. I hope lots of companies sign up to this pledge and use it as an opportunity to make some long-term, tangible changes, which will really benefit current and future employees. Let’s be transformative, not just performative."

You can read more about the pledge here.

Black, Female and In Placemaking. What is it like?

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

As part of our #BlackHistoryMonth coverage, we are pleased to have Deborah Broomfield contribute for us again. Here, Deborah shares very candidly about the realities of being a Black woman on placemaking. Although COVID-19 has started an important conversation this year, she thinks we need to go further to create a truly inclusive industry.

It is Black History Month and what a year it has been. I feel like I have been placed in a scene of a science fiction, farcical movie and not knowing when my part in the film may end. We have COVID-19 to deal with plus, endless discussions around race and diversity and what institutions and society need to do to improve the environment. Although discussions are necessary and there are debates and levels of participation, which are perhaps more than in previous years, it saddens me that they are still going on.

I am a recent masters graduate in Urban and Regional Planning and in the very early stages of doctoral studies in Women and Planning at Leeds Beckett University. I have come into placemaking from a varied previous career to include the property world. I also live in inner-city Birmingham and on the receiving end of planning policy and placemaking decisions. This combination I believe helps me to view the world of placemaking through a different and what has been described, as an interesting lens.

What is it like to be Black, female and in placemaking?

'I attract a level of curiosity from all races as to my reasons for choosing urban planning and my subject of study... It is a challenge to know who to speak to and where to go for support.'

It is an interesting journey from my own experience. I attract a level of curiosity from all races as to my reasons for choosing urban planning and my subject of study. Some say it is interesting. Others do not know what spatial planning is, does and should achieve. I also feel a bit on the outside as professions in the built environment can be a club, let us not forget still predominantly male and white. Although more women and BAME groups are moving into the area, there is a lack of diversity in terms of the kinds of people (not just in racial terms) that planning attracts and supports through existing professional systems. It is a challenge to know who to speak to and where to go for support.

It is great to see groups like BAME in Property, BAME in Planning and Black Females in Architecture exist. However, further support is needed for people who enter the area with significant other experience. This includes recognising the work and expertise through greater collaboration with community led urbanists, who may not have accredited planning degrees but are doing the work.

COVID-19 has accelerated some great discussions around what the future of place should and will look like. They are interesting and exciting conversations. I hope that these visions will live up to being inclusive, and not be unaffordable in terms of implementation within marginalised communities. An obvious example is having suitable living environments and equity in where they are created. The involvement of the voices that will live in and benefit from these visions need to be increased, which the planning profession is appearing to understand. However, the challenge remains and I hope we can move forward with a vision that benefits everyone.

In conversation with Sarah Hayford, Founder of The Land Collective and Managing Director of Sqft Digital

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

Inspirational, determined and empowering. These are the three words I would use to describe Sarah Hayford, a young entrepreneur, with two, growing businesses in the real estate sector. In this feature BAME in Property founder, Priya Shah, digs deep into what has shaped Sarah’s upbringing, her education and how she has ended up where she is today. There’s a saying that ‘you rise by lifting others’, and Sarah has clearly shown that helping others is just one of many keys to her success. With a couple of awards under her belt already, this rising star isn’t going anywhere, she’s here to stay and transform the real state industry for the better.

1. Let's start from the beginning, tell us about you, your upbringing, and your education. How did you end up in real estate?

I was born and raised in Harrow to Ghanaian parents, who very naturally wanted me to go into the big money-making and ‘secure’ industries like medicine, finance or law - the only problem was I didn’t like hospitals (and science), absoutely despised maths and numbers, and wasn’t quite cut out for law!

'I was actually never really great at school or academia all together, I always just about scraped by. Rather, I was more practical and learnt by doing.'

I only realised this when I didn’t get the grades I needed to do A-levels at college, I had to re-take a few GCSE’s and re-apply the following year. I managed to get better grades but my college thought I’d struggle with A-levels, so I was re-directed. I remember being absolutely devastated, especially when throughout school and life you’re told that your grades were pretty much the only thing that mattered. At the time, I was very interested in politics and knew that I wanted to study it at university and the only course at my college that was somewhat related to that was a BTEC in Uniformed Public Services, which prepared you for a career in the emergency services or civil service; it was half classroom based and half outdoor/practical and was a fantastic experience, very much suites for my learning style.

I ended up going to the University of Nottingham to study International Relations, which I found super interesting but at a lot of times, didn’t quite enjoy. I craved to do something a bit more practical or at least something with a blend of theory and practical activities. So I took the plunge in my second year and started an interior design diploma alongside my degree. Studying interior design wasn’t completely new to me as it’s something that my dad studied and did for a while as a hobby. It was fun and exciting to do something new and I undertook work placements with some brilliant interior designers in the process, which actually was my route into the real estate industry.

2. Growing up, what was your exposure to real estate? Did you find it easy securing work experience and internships?

'I think I still have all of my rejection emails from firms asking for work experience throughout university'

I didn’t know anyone in real estate at all and I found it extremely difficult initially to get work experience and internships. If it wasn’t for The Land Collective, I think it would have been even more difficult! My only interaction with the sector before learning about it was with Haart Esate Agents and the surveyor that was walking around my house when we were looking to move.

I think I still have all of my rejection emails from firms asking for work experience throughout university, I didn’t get anything until my final year when I came back from my year abroad and only one of my placements was paid. So I had to save up during the year to cover my expenses for these work placements, they paid off in the end but it was quite difficult and it’s something not everyone can do understandably.

3. What inspired you to start The Land Collective?

When I started getting very interested in the sector, I felt as though I had nobody to share my thoughts or discoveries with. I also wanted a place to vent about issues occurring in my local area. At the time, I was also struggling with getting my foot in the door of the industry due to my academic background, so showing something tangible to employers was a big priority. I already had experience in blogging and creating websites etc, so I decided to take that route and see how it went. It slowly began to generate traction when I shared what I was doing with my department head and later, university careers department.

People had great ideas about the ways in which the built environment impacts our lives in different ways, which is why the platform is designed the way it is - it can include and be relevant to absolutely anybody, which is what I find the most exciting to share!

4. You recently quit your full-time job to launch a new business (congrats!), tell us more Yes, quitting a job during a pandemic where people are losing jobs can sound quite insane, but having worked on The Land Collective for over three years and seeing the traction that its developed, it just felt like the right time!

'I launched Sqft Digital out of frustration with the property industry’s visibility amongst students'

My new business is Sqft Digital, a student marketing agency aiming to transform early careers programmes and firms’ engagement with students throughout the academic year. I launched Sqft Digital out of frustration with the property industry’s visibility amongst students and the slow progress of diversity in the sector. Through The Land Collective, we have managed to build a strong and diverse community of students and young professionals who we communicate with in relation to new opportunities across the sector, discussions and research.

We’ll be offering services such as social media management, research design, digital campaigns, student ambassador campaign management and strategy.

5. How important is diversity to you?

'As a Black woman, I’m already hyper-visible in a lot of spaces and especially in the property industry'

It’s a non-negotiable! I believe that at this point in time, nobody has an excuse not to acknowledge the importance of diversity. I’ve seen people and organisations try and cover their backs with the ‘’diversity of thought’’ jacket in order to hide the fact that they don’t have a coherent and actionable diversity and inclusion framework and its just not good enough. It’s very important to me, as a Black woman, I’m already hyper-visible in a lot of spaces and especially in the property industry. So as a business owner and Founder, it’s important that I practice what I preach.

The Land Collective’s team is very diverse, with our team being mostly women, from various different ethnic, educational and cultural backgrounds.

6. What have been the major achievements for you? e.g. awards, recognition etc.

I think definitely winning the BPF Futures Award for ‘Promoting the Industry’ in 2019, the ceremony was at the Houses of Parliament which was amazing and it felt great to be amongst so mant talented professionals across the industry and be recognised for something I’ve worked so hard on!

It has also been an amazing honour to be recognised and shortlisted as a Superhero by EG in their 2020 award series. The pandemic made many things extremely difficult and bleak, but by launching the virtual internship programme for current students interested in the commercial real estate and construction sectors, I hoped to restore a bit of optimism in the industry. It was quite a lengthy and difficult programme to curate but it was definitely worth it!

7. What's next for you and your businesses?

For now, it’s introducing Sqft Digital to the industry! And helping more students make their journey into the built environment sector. Whilst this year has been very difficult, it has also created lots of opportunities to pivot and for change - so I’m very excited about what’s to come.

Thank you Sarah for sharing your inspiring story. Good luck with your businesses, we can’t wait to see them grow further and bring you back for round 2 on the hotseat!

Celebrating the contributions of Ugandan Indians arriving in the UK in the early 1970s

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

This #SouthAsianHeritageMonth we celebrate the courage and tenacity of the Ugandan Asians who came to the UK in the toughest of circumstances but who thrived – not just for themselves but for their community too. BAME in Property committee member and Associate at Montagu Evans, Bhavini Shah shares her story of Ugandan Indians and their influence in the UK, especially Leicester.

On 4 August 1972, Idi Amin who was President of Uganda from 1971 to 1979, ordered the expulsion of Uganda’s South Asian minority, giving them 90 days to leave the country, accusing them of “sabotaging Uganda’s economy and encouraging corruption”. Although they formed the minority of the country’s population, it is important to note that official figures suggest that the Ugandan-Asians contributed to circa 90% of Uganda’s tax receipts in 1972.

Official figures suggest that the Ugandan-Asians contributed to circa 90% of Uganda’s tax receipts in 1972.

Estimates of the total number of Ugandan-Asians expelled from Uganda varies but range between 55,000 – 80,000 people with the number of people coming to the UK around 28,000. Ugandan-Asians were pretty-much stripped of their assets and possessions with people even reported being held at gun point by officers before leaving the country to take valuable personal possessions.

A BBC article from 18 September 1972 reports on the first 193 Ugandan-Asians arriving into Stansted Airport that very morning. Some had made their own arrangements with family and friends whilst others were taken to an RAF camp at Stradishall in Suffolk, which was organised by the UK Ugandan Resettlement Board. The families who arrived mostly settled in already established communities in areas such as London and the East Midlands with most Ugandan Asians (around 20,000) settling in Leicester.

It is in business that Ugandan Asians have made the biggest impact because that is where most of their success in Uganda lay. They were highly educated and familiar with British customs. Though Amin took their possessions, they had not lost their skills, university degrees or network of community contacts that would see many of their businesses rise from the ashes. They helped each other to help themselves.

‘you can take someone's money, but you cannot take their know-how.'

Arriving with nothing, they quickly set about trying to rebuild the luxurious lives many had lived in East Africa. Industrialist Manubhai Madhvani, who died in 2011 aged 81, was a regular in the annual Rich Lists. He lost everything in 1972 but his business empire had interests in sugar, brewing and tourism. He once said ‘you can take someone's money, but you cannot take their know-how.'

But it wasn’t easy in the early years. Those with professional skills in teaching or medicine, for example, found that their skills were not transferrable or needed to be topped up. One man, Vinod Kotecha, was a pharmacist in Uganda, but his diploma was not recognised in the UK. He was told by the pharmacy association that he would have to study again from A-levels upwards to get the required qualifications recognised in the UK and he really tried to get these qualifications but he ended up working as filing clerk in the local health authority in Leicester.

School-age Ugandan Asians who finished off their school studies in the UK were less likely to get a job compared to their white counterparts so many young people continued their studies. When young Ugandan Asians did get a job, it was after having to attend more interviews that their white counterparts.

Ugandan Asians had taken over 4,000 grocery stores, 1,000 newsagents, 500 sub-post offices and 300 pharmacies with young Ugandan Asians forming a ‘rising generation’ who were winning a substantial amount of university places and figuring prominently in GCSE results.

One theory from M. H. Freeman’s thesis Asian enterprise in Leicester is that ‘[Ugandan] Asian businessmen have frequently limited themselves to markets where they cannot be perceived as a threat by white people. Significant penetration into the white market has only been achieved in spheres considered undesirable by white traders. Grocery shops, newsagents, taxi-hire, of licences predominate for Asians; areas in which white entrepreneurs have long been in retreat.’ In fact, a Daily Mail article from 11 February 1976, titled ‘Service with a smile back in Britain’, estimated that Ugandan Asians had taken over 4,000 grocery stores, 1,000 newsagents, 500 sub-post offices and 300 pharmacies with young Ugandan Asians forming a ‘rising generation’ who were winning a substantial amount of university places and figuring prominently in GCSE results.

Furthermore, an article by the Loughborough Echo newspaper, dated 10 January 1974, found that 90% of Ugandan Asians in the area were already working. The remaining 10% were either elderly or were unskilled.

‘…we can learn a lot from the Asians living here especially when it comes to family loyalties, respect of children to parents and sheer hard work to gain better standards from a poorer background.'

In Leicester, Ugandan Asians’ presence has transformed the city from a depressed and deprived East Midlands town through the establishment of businesses, creation of community groups, entering politics and reinforcing the importance of education to future generations which has supported the strong communities in Belgrave, Melton Road and Rushey Mead and perhaps even further afield outside of their immediate community: in the opinions page of the Leicester Mercury newspaper from 30 August 1972, a reader noted that ‘…we can learn a lot from the Asians living here especially when it comes to family loyalties, respect of children to parents and sheer hard work to gain better standards from a poorer background.'

It is almost 50 years since Ugandan Asians were expelled from Uganda. Many have since returned but just as many have stayed and had families. The impact of this community is strong and continues today with some high profile success stories:

• Lata Patel who was mayor of Brent from 1996-97;
• Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, MBE, is one of Britain's most distinguished columnists (we note she left Uganda shortly before the official expulsion);
• Asif Din was an accomplished Warwickshire cricketer from 1981 to 1995, whose family arrived in the UK in 1972 with £50 to their name; and
• Tarique Ghaffur, CBE, was promoted to Assisstant Commissioner within the Metroppilitan Police and headed three of the Met’s Operational Command Units: the Directorate of Performance, Review and Standards in 2001; the Specialist Crime Directorate from November 2002; and Central Operations from 2006.

Do you have roots in Uganda too? Share your story in the comments below.

Image: Thousands of Ugandan Asians fled to the UK after Idi Amin ordered their expulsion, Getty Images, posted on the BBC.

Representation in practice - actions speak louder than words

URBED is an urban design company based in Manchester, working across the UK. Senior Consultant Vicky Payne reflects on how the practice tries to operate with representation in mind and the next steps they are planning to take.

In the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd and the resulting resurgence of interest in the Black Lives Matter movement, many of us have reflected on what more we could be doing to fight for an equal and fair society. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to this. Everyone has different levels of influence, different spaces in which they can affect change and different resources (money, energy, time) to contribute. As individuals I think everyone at URBED is personally reflecting on what role they can play, but we are also examining what more we can do as a business.

It shouldn’t be necessary to explain why representation in the built environment profession is important. We all live in this world, and the groups of people designing places should reflect the people living in them. As Jane Jacobs said:

“Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody”

It also makes sense for us commercially. Statistically speaking it’s not possible that the ‘best people’ for jobs in the industry are those that carry the same characteristics as the people currently dominating our profession. If you’re not recruiting from all available candidates you are limiting the potential of your business. It should not be framed as being ‘nice’ or offering special treatment, it’s about clearing the way so that everyone has equal access and opportunity. This is not going “above and beyond” it’s working towards what should be a baseline level of justice.

It’s worth addressing language briefy. When I wrote the first draft of this I talked about “diversity” and “inclusion”. I felt the need to explain that I meant “diversity” in the broadest sense, incorporating race, class, gender, sexuality, ability etc. Discussing this with colleagues highlighted that focusing on such cataegories and classifications in the first place is “looking down the wrong end of the telescope”. The word “inclusion” also implies that there is someone doing the “including”- a gatekeeper granting access. We’re working to dismantle gates that should never have been erected in the first place. I have used the word “representation” as an alternative where I wasn’t able to rephrase the sentence completely.

Hulme consultation event

URBED’s Manchester office grew out of the tenant’s movement in Hulme in the 90’s and right from the start integrated issues of social justice and sustainability into urban design. In that respect, our heart has always been in the right place. However, it would be foolhardy as a business to assume that a) just because you have good intentions you are doing the right thing and b) that there is an “end point” to becoming an ethical business. It is important that we continually challenge ourselves to do better.

In this blog post I want to set out some of the ways we currently try to operate and provide an idea about the next steps we’re looking to take following this recent period of reflection.

It is worth explaining that URBED is a limited company operating under cooperative rules. This means that almost all of our employees are also directors and we run the business collectively through monthly meetings. This business model has boosted our ability to develop the approaches below; a flat structure creates a safe space to challenge each other’s thinking, and as a smaller company we’re able to make changes in an agile way.

What We’re Doing

Open Minded Hiring

Although for technical roles we tend to request a certain level of academic qualification, we are careful to include the phrase “or equivalent” and focus more on the competencies and skills that we want to see from an applicant than specific academic attainment. We’re always open to interviewing people who have had non-linear or non- traditional routes into the profession, and we take seriously any skills gained in roles outside of the industry. For design roles our selection for interview is based heavily on the submitted portfolio – so applicants are judged on the quality of their work.

In our job descriptions we ensure that information is provided about our enhanced policies for parental leave and time off to care for dependents as well as a highlighting our Mental Health and Wellbeing, Flexible Working and Equal Opportunities policies. Generally, we’re trying to create a situation where no one is deterred from applying.

At interview stage we have a set of questions to guide the conversation and make sure we are finding out what we need to know, but we try to make the tone of the interview as informal as possible. There are no questions designed to catch anyone out and we go into it with the intention of trying to get the best out of the applicant; we’ll ask follow up questions and dig deeper if we sense that there are relevant experiences or skills they haven’t shared with us.

We always try to provide clear and constructive feedback to unsuccessful applicants, letting them know where we thought they did well and areas they could improve. This hopefully increases their chances of getting the next role they interview for.

Flexible Working

Even prior to COVID we had an increasingly flexible approach to working. Over the last couple of years, we have invested in equipment and software to ensure that every employee can work remotely. It really hit home when lockdown came into force how much progress we had made, as everyone transitioned fairly seamlessly into a new way of working.

The URBED office

The ability to work remotely combined with our policies around part time and flexible working hopefully mean that employees are able to integrate their role at URBED into their lives in a way that is manageable and balanced. This obviously makes things easier for people with caring responsibilities, commitments outside work or those with chronic illness, but as with all these measures it really benefits everyone at URBED.

Fair Internships

We believe that internships should be accessible, should be awarded on a fair basis, and should not be economically exploitative. We believe that properly structured and resourced internships make a positive contribution to our industry by helping to develop the skills of new urbanists and by giving access to the industry to people from a broad range of backgrounds.

We do not offer unstructured internships or placements, i.e. those not undertaken as part of a course of education, or work-based scheme supported by the EU, Universities or reputable charities. This is because we feel unpaid and unstructured internships and placements unfairly exclude those who do not have other forms of financial support, or the social networks that allow them to gain access to professional firms.

We will not use internships as a means of providing cheap labour. A reliance on unpaid internships to service fee-earning work is exploitative of the individuals involved and damaging to our industry. We believe that if we expect to be paid as a company for providing a professional service, we should expect the same for the individuals who carry out the work. URBED has a long track record of employing recent graduates and helping them to develop their career. If we need additional staff, we will take a suitable candidate on as an employee – either temporary or permanent - and pay them a reasonable salary.

Mentoring and Outreach

Alongside internships we also offer shorter placements for school and college students to get a feel for working in the urban design industry. We’ve hosted a number of students through the Centre for Sustainable Energy’s “Bright Green Future” initiative, a five- year leadership programme for young people aged between 14 and 17, intended to equip them to be the environmental decision makers of the future.

Last summer we hosted our first student through Arts Emergency, an award-winning mentoring charity and network helping marginalised young people to overcome barriers to participation and success in the creative and cultural industries. The tagline on their website is “the alternative old boy network”. They are a fantastic organisation and we’d encourage any business in the built environment to take a look at their website and get involved.

It is really important when hosting students to make sure you are providing financial support for any travel, food or equipment needs they might have – offering the placement itself is not enough if students can’t afford to get there!

Arts Emergency student Hannah’s urban greening project

A number of our senior staff are engaged in mentorship programmes, partnering with younger people and offering them support and advice about how to get into the industry. We have also participated in a number of outreach projects with schools. Two of our team ran a series of workshops through the RIBA Architecture Ambassadors scheme at a primary school in Oldham, investigating the local built heritage and working with them to design and construct their own buildings out of cardboard.

The “fun house” designed by a primary school student in Oldham

I think it’s common in any industry to get a little jaded or to lose passion for your chosen profession from time to time. Apart from the benefits to the students, working with younger people and welcoming them into your business is an incredible way to re-light that spark. They bring so much energy and curiosity and it’s always such a pleasure to see their work at the end.

Aside from the way we operate as a business, our work also has a significant role to play in working towards greater equality in the built environment.

Designing with Communities

URBED’s approach is to urban design is very focused around consultation and participation. We don’t tend to masterplan and then consult, but try to design in a collaborative way with our clients, stakeholders and communities. We believe the people of a place are its most valuable resource. It is fundamental for local people to be involved in decisions about their towns and neighbourhoods - their input is hugely enriching to the process.

Facilitating Glasshouse urban design training with residents of St Raphaels Wembley

We have refined and tested a number of processes over years through our design work and via training courses developed and run for The Glasshouse. We have developed a rich palette of tools that can be applied in a flexible way to all kinds of projects to allow meaningful collaboration and co-design. These include walkabouts, roundtable workshops, knowledge building presentations, mapping and sketching exercises, design sessions (often with plasticine!) and exhibitions. These techniques are supported by digital tools like websites and survey platforms. We’re currently exploring a wider range of digital, socially distant or time distant consultation techniques following COVID.

Sustainability

We have always tried to achieve environmental and social sustainability in our projects, whether they are at the scale of an individual building or a strategy for a whole region. We take a holistic approach which considers energy and resource use, climate, and transport, but also design quality and economics. We see sustainability not just as an environmental issue but as an economic and social issue that can help create healthy, safe and cohesive communities. The next step in this thinking is the concept of “climate justice”, which I will touch on in the next section.

A home retrofit workshop for householders

We have developed expertise in low-carbon architectural design, particularly in the retrofit of existing buildings. We see this as integral to the environmental sustainability and the long-term success of urban areas, improving health and well-being as well as climate and wider environmental outcomes. Again, this has a strong social and economic aspect and some of our recent work has looked at low-carbon interventions in the context of fuel poverty, health and quality of life. We collaborate frequently with Carbon Coop, an an energy services and advocacy co-operative that helps people and communities to make the radical reductions in home carbon emissions necessary to avoid runaway climate change.

Representative Events

As part of our work we put together events. For the last few years we have run a Manchester based event series called “4x4”, a set of fun, challenging talks about cities and urban issues. In putting together these events we work hard to make sure that we do not create the all-white, all-male panels that crop up so often in the industry. Largely we are able to do this through our own networks and contacts, but we have also found it really helpful to work with organisations like BAME in Property to find great speakers outside our networks. We don’t do this to be worthy – we want to create the most interesting events that we can for our attendees, and having a variety of different voices on our panels is part of that.

2018 Marked the centenary of votes for (some) women and we celebrated with a non-male identifying 4x4.

What We’d Like to Do Next

There’s a lot that we want to do, and recent events have galvanised us towards a more concerted effort.

In terms of our business practices we are currently looking to undertake a series of internal training and education sessions to examine our structures and processes, rebuilding them where necessary. We go into this with an awareness that such training is important, but on it’s own isn’t suffiecient to create lasting, meaningful change. It would be very easy to undertake training and then unconcioulsy revert to type, thinking we have “done our bit”. We’d like any training we undertake to be the start of a much longer process.

We would like to expand awareness about mentoring opportunities in the office, so that all staff are aware that they can provide a beneficial role as a mentor. This might mean an internal skill share, where staff who have worked with mentees talk about their experience and explain how the mentorship was arranged.

We are looking to consciously expand our networks and amplify voices within the industry. So far this has meant looking at who we follow on Twitter and making a concerted effort to follow a wider range of accounts and organisations with a broader range or perspectives on urban issues. Going forward we would like to expand the networking and CPD events that we attend, whether they are in person or online. Ultimately, we’d love to get to a point where we are working with a broader range of clients and collaborators.

We are looking at mental health. Last year we shared our Mental Health and Wellbeing Policy and signed up to the “Where’s your Head At?” workplace manifesto. Part of the manifesto talks about building a diverse and inclusive worksplace, leading to a happier and healthier environment where people feel free to bring their whole selves to work. We are in the process of organising for two members of staff to become Mental Health First Aiders and we are keen to make sure that this training intersects with the work we are doing on diversity and inclusion.

In terms of our project work and research we would like to more deeply integrate issues of social justice into our approach to sustainability. In September 2019 we started a live internal project on the Climate Emergency. We are currently exploring how an awareness of the Climate Emergency can be integrated into everything we do. We have developed a plan for knowledge building, agreeing values and setting objectives. We then intend to develop an approach to the Climate Emergency in all areas of our work (spatial planning, masterplanning, architecture and landscape architecture), ultimately producing guidance and tools. Our intention as we embark on this plan is to focus on the concept of “Climate Justice” which frames global warming as a political and ethical issue. Climate Justice acknowledges that the impacts of climate change will not be borne equally or fairly.

Final Thoughts

I reflected at the start of this post on how everyone has different levels of influence and varying abilities to affect change. The fact that this has turned into such a long blog post illustrates just how much power we have as businesses. Urban design practitioners tend to be a utopian bunch, we talk a great deal about community, placemaking and sustainability - we want to create a better world. I think it’s important in the coming decades that we don’t allow ourselves to be lured into complacency by our own good intentions.

We have power, we have influence and we need to continually challenge ourselves to use it in the best way possible.

Who is Planning My City?

In this blog, Deborah Broomfield, PhD student in Women in Planning at Leeds Beckett University shares her experiences of being a Black woman at university, property management and in the COVID-19 pandemic. She stresses the importance of understanding diverse communities to deliver better planning outcomes, especially for Black communities.

I remember during my MSc studies in Urban and Regional Planning, going to a field trip with the other students to a deprived inner-city area of Birmingham, which was one of our case studies.

The area as were many others; a legacy of the work of British civil engineer, Herbert Manzoni who was credited with wiping away the heritage of Birmingham. No doubt also wiping away communities. It was obvious from my observation, that Herbert also saw the car as more important than people.

As the students walked along the winding paths past desolate maisonettes and lonely tower blocks. One of the students described the area as sxxt. His friend commented with an air of contempt about residents not taking care of their homes and, took pleasure in picking the ones that she felt needed tidying up.

I often reflect on that experience, as I did not challenge them directly. I wanted to get through the course.

I am an older Black woman; these are the inner conflicts that we face. I also got on quite well with them and felt a mild sense of embarrassment and awkwardness, as I too live in a deprived inner-city area of Birmingham.

However, I did mention this experience to one of the lecturers who was the module lead. Not forgetting my observation of the lack of Black students on the course. I was one of five out of a total of seventy students. The module lead seemed surprised there were that many, I suppose I did say something. I remembered asking the question, who is planning my city?

Why did I start my blog with this experience? These two young white people are working as spatial planners, they also lived in a village and a gated community. I am not sure whether this is about colour or about disconnect. A similar point was mentioned to me during my MSc dissertation research, relating to the lack of awareness of planners about the communities that they are working with.

The individual I interviewed had met a few planners of colour but had not met any Black planners and what is more with lived experience.

Although I enjoyed my MSc studies. I realised that the curriculum, despite being well delivered was designed for accreditation and employment. Maybe it was the student’s responsibility to widen their horizons by asking why these residents did not tidy the exterior of their homes. To give the course leaders some credit, there was an attempt to introduce real life into the teaching. However, the understandable priority of most students will be employment. Also, is there something about the built environment education and employment process, that requires just enough and not to ask too many questions?

The killing of George Floyd in the U.S by police, but not forgetting all the other lives lost including that of Breonna Taylor, has unleashed a sense of fear and guilt in establishments in the UK. Discussions around racism are being revitalised. I say this because I have heard these discussions many times before.

We live in a diverse country in superdiverse neighbourhoods and I wonder at times, whether those who are employed to support neighbourhoods and develop place, truly understands how it all works. I suppose it takes time and experience.

I recall another experience when working in property management, which was at that time mainly male white and nepotistic. As a female surveyor you had to be "good looking” to be recruited. I worked in learning and development and heard surveyors commenting on the looks of female surveyors. A very senior manager spoke about a Black male surveyor colleague of mine who had dreadlocks. He also happened to like very nice cars. The manager commented while I was in the lift to his colleague, that this surveyor had changed his car again and must be selling drugs.

This is a stereotyped view that Black men who drive nice cars are dope peddlers. It was not that long ago, and I think that says it all.

Hopefully, recent events to include the Covid-19 pandemic will further alert the built environment industry, that work needs to be done to understand the superdiverse communities that live in the UK. Messages should be delivered that planning as an example, is a feasible career choice for a young person of colour and a white person from an area of deprivation. This needs to be done at school, all with the right support. I had examined in my MSc dissertation the question about there being a new type of planner, which is a topic I am hoping to further discuss in my doctorate studies. Authenticity and compassion should be additional competencies, but I suppose it is how we measure them. Boris Johnson and his government have communicated their intention to review the planning system. It will be of interest to see the outcome and the effects on diversity issues.

Black Lives Matter

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

A short message from our founder, Priya Shah.

The tragic murder of George Floyd has sparked anger, frustration and heartbreak to Black communities in America and around the world. Many other ethnicities have spoken up about the atrocities and racism facing Black people, which is an important action to take.

We would like to remind employers that your Black colleagues might be feeling angry, upset and might need more support. Please consider this over the coming days and weeks.

The outrage we are seeing is part of a deep-rooted structural racism, which Black people around the world face on a daily basis. We all have a responsibility to educate ourselves and call out racism. In the workplace this means getting your ethnic colleague’s name right, for example or calling out that colleague who makes a racist remark - please don’t be a bystander, your inaction can speak volumes.

Those who are in a privilege position can make a difference by doing the above, but also acknowledging how such privileges have reinforced racism in the workplace, and have prevented Black people and other ethnic minorities from having the same opportunities.

Diversity is being invited to the party, inclusion is being asked to dance.

This statement was originally posted on our Twitter page.

Marking World Menstrual Health Day - How the property sector can make a difference

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

Thursday 28 May marks World Menstrual Hygiene Day, a global day that advocates and promotes good menstrual hygiene management (MHM) for all women and girls. This day is marked annually, bringing together non-profits, governments, individuals and the private sector to raise awareness about and break the stigma against MHM, as well as urging governments to make it a priority.

This year, amidst the pandemic, MHM is more important than ever. From access to menstrual products and toilets under lockdown, to cultural stigma in some ethnic minority communities, the period hardship felt by women and girls all over the world has been exacerbated.

For something that has occurred since the beginning of time, it is ridiculous to see that society in general does not prioritise women during their periods. In this piece, BAME in Property founder Priya Shah, talks about some of the challenges women and girls are facing, as well as the important role the property sector can play to help promote better menstrual hygiene, such as good design and prioritising diversity and inclusion in policy decisions. Priya also talks about how you can support our charity partner, Binti Period during the pandemic and beyond.

Access to products

Throughout this pandemic, we’ve seen our supermarkets raided for basic supplies, most notably toilet roll. However, there has been less press coverage on period product shortages, which have also been difficult to find in shops.

Research by Plan International UK showed that almost a third (30%) of girls have had issues either affording or accessing period products during the lockdown.

Over half of these girls (54%) have used toilet paper as an alternative to period products. However, stockpiling toilet paper during the lockdown has made managing periods for these girls more difficult.

The lockdown is also exacerbating period poverty for many young people and their families. Many parents/carers are under increased financial strain, making it more difficult to buy tampons, pads and moon-cups.

Lockdown and poor housing exacerbate period challenges

The pandemic has demonstrated how good housing and a pleasant lockdown experience come hand in hand. We’ve seen how overcrowded homes with no access to open space or even a balcony, make lockdown significantly harder for individuals, usually those who are already experiencing poverty in some capacity.

These challenges intensify an experience that is already difficult for young people due to the stigma around periods.

In overcrowded homes, often with little privacy, this issue is multiplied, when young girls or women feel embarrassed to talk openly about periods or ask for products if they cannot access them, due to fear of shame.

Developing countries and menstrual hygiene

With many developing countries under strict lockdown measures, menstrual hygiene has become an impossible task for millions of women and girls. Imagine living in a slum with multiple generations sharing a tin shack room, public toilets, which are rarely cleaned, and all under immense heat, during lockdown. Add to that mix a period and this becomes an even bigger challenge.

Take India for example, a country that has some of the highest figures of period shaming in the world. The lockdown would make the cultural taboo of having a period even worse and put millions of women and girls in compromised positions, due to not being able to use public toilets safely or isolate appropriately within cramped homes.

In some instances, women are required to separate themselves from male counterparts during their period, as it is considered ‘dirty’, however, lockdown has made this impossible, increasing the risk of shaming and in some cases, domestic violence.

Additionally, communal toilets in slums increase the risk of infections during a girl’s period. During COVID-19, this has become a bigger issue, where communal toilets are cleaned less frequently due to essential workers, such as cleaners, also isolating.

How can the property sector support better menstrual hygiene management?

I believe the property sector can support better menstrual hygiene and health, through the use of good design and prioritising diversity and inclusion in policy decisions. This would include:

• More toilet space for women. Visit any public place and you will always see a longer queue trailing outside the female toilets. This is because females generally take longer in the toilet (due to caring responsibilities sometimes), and longer still when on their periods. (You can read more about this here, where I talk about how planning policy has failed to adequately consider women’s toilet and menstrual needs). It is about time the planning sector allocates more toilet space to females to accommodate for different needs.

• Ensure gender-neutral toilets are not the only option. Although unisex toilets should be welcome, due to embracing diversity and transgender individuals especially, they are simply not for everyone. Some women and girls feel uncomfortable using unisex toilets, due to health or cultural reasons. They do not want to be seen in the same environment as males when using the toilet, so may prefer not to change sanitary products when actually required, further increasing the risk of infections.

It is so important for public buildings to offer the option of separate male and female toilets and this is something that can and should be incorporated into good design.

• Prioritise diversity and inclusion in the property sector. Having greater gender balance and more ethnic diversity in the property sector and the built environment industry more widely, would result in better policy for gendered needs, such as periods. Not only should we be having female and BAME voices around the table, but we should also be inviting them to talk about accessibility and cultural issues, which if not considered, could negatively impact half of society.

• Offer free menstrual products in public toilets. Many of us in the built environmental sector own public places, such as shopping centres. These places could offer free menstrual products to women and girls, if they need them.

No one should be in a position where they cannot access or afford menstrual products. We have the power to ensure that does not happen.

I hope this piece has given you all something to consider this World Menstrual Hygiene Day. I feel privileged to be in a position where I can both afford and access menstrual products, something, which millions of women and girls around the world cannot do. I chose to support Binti Period because I truly believe that every girl deserves period dignity and that the property industry can make some positive changes in this cause.

Please visit Binti Period to learn more about our charity partner and see how you can support their latest campaign to purchase a hand-made protective facemask, to not only support the COVID-19 efforts, but also support the charity in surviving during this pandemic.

A Ramadan like no other, 2020 COVID edition

This year, the holy festival of Ramadan has been different for millions of Muslims around the world, impacting their family and working lives in numerous ways, positive and negative.

As we celebrate Eid this weekend (23 - 24 May 2020), Haaris Lakhani, Finance Manager at Grayling, shares his experience of Ramadan during the COVID-19 pandemic, what he's done differently and what this period has taught him.

How has Ramadan been for you this year in light of the pandemic? What have you and your family done differently?

Ramadan has always been a time where family and friends get together to open their fast, pray and spend quality time together. Usually, there would be Iftar (break of fast) invites at least 3-4 times a week whether that is at home or in a restaurant, however, this year, in light of the current pandemic, Ramadan has been completely different for me, the 2.6 million Muslims across the UK and also the billions of Muslims across the world.

Physical presence has been replaced with digital presence via calls on Zoom for Iftar with family and friends. Spiritually the experience has also been somewhat more personal, where you are spending more time connecting and studying your faith and also spending more time with your immediate family if you live with them, or individually if you live alone.

This year has also taught us to see the best in any situation that life brings to you and also adjusting to it as needed. As the majority of people are still isolating, there has also been a bit more time to be creative when it comes to iftar meals.

The use of family recipes which were hidden away in books or etched in our memories have come to life, as this is one way that we can feel more connected and make Ramadan feel more special.

My mother and I volunteer at a local foodbank based in Barking called HUMDUM CIC, which has seen a 250% surge in attendance in light of the current pandemic. Although we like many other of the volunteers this year have had to isolate because we live with people in the risk category, we all still try and support the service by providing the home cooked meals which are distributed daily to the foodbank clients.

Charity (Zakat) and generosity are an essential part of this month so everyone is supporting in any way they can whether that is through volunteering or donating.

What has this period taught you about your religion and the importance of community?

This period has taught us not to take things in life for granted, whether that is having the ability to go to a shop and find items readily available on the shelves or even the importance of community and interaction. It has also taught us to follow even more closely the narration of the Hadith (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad) when it comes to this pandemic.

The intellect emphasises taking all precautionary measures in things such as cleanliness and also narrates “When you hear that a plague is in a land, do not enter it and if the plague breaks out in a place while you are in it, do not leave that place,". This narration appears to be relevant for the modern-day advice in preventing the spreading of the virus.

The communal prayers (Taraweeh and Eid) this year have been replaced with praying at home and virtual prayers. It has also therefore redefined the importance of community and also having the ability of being able to do basic things, like going to the shops or seeing family and friends.

The current situation is not something anyone can say they were prepared for, so we are all learning as we go along to adapt and adjust to it.

We are all making it a priority, with mental health in mind, to call and check-in on our friends, family and vulnerable neighbours to make sure they know that we are there to help each other whether it is support for shopping or even just a chat. I would say this means that it has brought us closer to our religion.

Has working from home made fasting easier or harder?

Working from home has made fasting easier this year. The first couple of days are a bit of a struggle as your body adapts to this new lifestyle, however, with the commute to work cut out this year, fasting has felt somewhat more relaxed in a way. You are in the comfort of your own home, so the overall feeling of fasting does not change. However, at the same time, as we are at home in the same setting for hours on end, the day can sometimes feel a bit longer than it would have if you were in the office, so both aspects have their pros and cons.

Thank you Haaris for kindly sharing your experience with us about how Ramadan has been for you this year. Some real acts of kindness here, which I am sure we can all learn from as well.

How can Islam teach Muslims and non-Muslims about coping with a pandemic?

It is currently Ramadan, one of the most well known religious periods for Muslims. This year, amidst pandemic, the observations and celebrations are certainly different. In many communities up and down the country we won’t be seeing the usual sight of family and friends getting together for Iftar (breaking the fast), instead, families will be observing privately, in the safety of their homes.

Individuals and communities are coping with this new norm in different ways, such as utilising video technology to keep in touch with friends and family. Additionally, many are using this period to become even closer to their religion and allow the power of faith to help during times of hardship.

This week, we are delighted to have Moiza Butt from Manchester share with us how the principles of Islam can guide Muslims and non-Muslims alike, on how to respond and react to the pandemic. She shares her thoughts below in five key points.

1. Guidance on the plague. Firstly, it is important for us to know what our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) advised on how to deal with plague.

“If you hear of an outbreak of plague in a land, do not enter it; if the plague breaks out in a place while you are in it, do not leave that place.” (Sahih al-Bukhārῑ)

One of the best things we can do as Muslims is to turn to Allah SWT and make dua (supplication) for protection from COVID-19. It goes without saying, staying at home is the universally recognised action.

2. Giving charity (sadaqah) pushes away hardships. If you’re unable to give money, you can donate to food banks.

You can also help your neighbours and vulnerable people. You may have seen there are slips going round with neighbours’ names and numbers to see if anyone needs help with picking up shopping, a friendly phone call, posting mail or picking up urgent supplies.

Please try to shop responsibly and remember there are many who are struggling to buy basic food. Before you do a shop, take inventory on what you already have and try and plan your meals with common ingredients.

The Messenger of Allah, (Peace and blessings be upon him) says:" He is not a believer who eats his fill whilst his neighbour beside him goes hungry" (Al-Bukhari).

3. Look out for your loved ones. It is often said that charity starts at home and some of the more vulnerable in our communities may be feeling anxious, so let us not forget to check in with our loved ones and colleagues.

Most of us are not used to working from home for long periods of time and for many of us, we have not left the house in days, which can have a huge impact on our mental health. For many of us, Ramadan and Eid are the highlight of our year and this year, we may be unable to celebrate with our family and friends which can also leave us feeling low.

"Something as simple as listening to a colleague can help them turn their day around."

4. Use your time wisely. Most of us are now working from home and we have extra time and energy to do some of the things that may not be part of our daily routine. Use your time wisely, practice gratitude by composing a gratitude list for the things we can do today and things we can do in our normal daily life. Even though it may not seem like it, we have a lot of things to be grateful for right now (e.g job security, our homes, our loved ones).

5. Practice good hygiene. Again, it goes without saying that practicing good hygiene is the backbone of protecting yourself and those around you.

Aisha reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, if he wanted to eat or drink, he would first wash his hands and then eat or drink. (Sunan al-Nasā’ī)

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him said: "Cleanliness is half of iman (faith).” (Sahih Muslim).

A huge thank you to Moiza for sharing her thoughts on this, there is so much we can learn from other religions. Last year she shared her thoughts on how her company was celebrating Ramadan, please read more here.

Stay home, stay connected and get involved with BAME in Property’s virtual events

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused us to rethink how we engage with our friends, family, colleagues and communities in new and creative ways. For BAME in Property, this is no different, and within a week of the lockdown being announced, I embarked on our virtual event series.

The event series is an opportunity to stay connected with our many members and social media followers, while being safe in the comfort of our own homes.

With plans for an exciting Birmingham launch in May out of the window, I had to rethink how to hold virtual events without being lost in the plethora of options currently being presented to us. My aim was to bring something for everyone. By joining forces with BAME in Property’s partners, think tanks and built environment influencers in the industry, I was keen to bring something interesting to the table, while sticking with the ‘BAME’ theme.

In early April, I hosted a virtual roundtable about ethnicity and the COVID-19 pandemic, exploring the impact of intergenerational living to community engagement and the role of the ethnic retailer.

A group of diverse professionals including planners, surveyors, a cognitive neuroscientist, a pharmacist and a real estate developer, to name a few, came together to discuss the nuances of this pandemic on BAME communities.

We noted that multigenerational families, common within ethnic minority communities makes physical distancing and isolation more difficult. Add to that mix working from home and you have a perfect storm for multiple household issues. Then there is the matter of communicating messages to BAME communities, especially when English may not be their first language.

This makes the role of religious and community leaders more important than ever. As influencers in their communities, they can often capture the hearts and minds of individuals better than the Government.

Over the last few weeks, we have seen key messages being translated into multiple languages, which is great to see, enabling better engagement with minority communities.

These were just some of the pertinent discussion points we discussed in the roundtable. Now that further evidence is emerging about the significant impact of COVID-19 on BAME communities, this conversation was not only important, but necessary.

Moving beyond the UK and tying my interests in urban development and planning, I then hosted a virtual event about Lockdown in India, with British Indian think tank, Bridge India. By attracting a different audience to the first event, this one was really about opening up the scope of BAME in Property to individuals who do not know about the organisation and what it has to offer.

With an expert panel from India and the UK, we were blessed to have such a fascinating discussion about the economic, political and social impacts of lockdown on India’s nearly 1.4 billion strong population. We then guided the discussion into why good housing and living arrangements are essential for a successful lockdown policy, touching upon slum living, the plight of migrant workers and the importance of good design, such as adequate ventilation within homes, to enable staying indoors even possible.

As fascinating as the discussion was, it goes without saying that lockdown is a privilege of the rich and wealthy and locked out is the real danger for millions of India’s poor population.

Looking ahead, the virtual event series continues. Over the coming weeks, I have a mental health event, focusing specifically on BAME communities, coming up next, followed by an event, exploring why now is the time to ensure diversity remains firmly on the agenda.

Not only have I really enjoyed organising and hosting these events, but it has been great to hear so many diverse views from across the built environment industry and beyond.

I hope to see many of you, new and familiar faces, tuning into the upcoming events - keep your eyes peeled for more details on how and where to sign up.

Let us stay at home and stay connected during these strange times.

Priya Shah, Founder of BAME in Property

If you would like to collaborate with BAME in Property for a virtual event, please get in touch with Priya on priya.shah@bameinproperty.com.