The Union of Clare Students partnered with the Cambridge African Caribbean Society (ACS) to organise a dinner and open-mic night for Black History Month on Saturday 14th October 2023. The event was supported by the Soyinka Appiah Fund, established by Skip Gates (Clare 1973, Honorary Fellow) to promote student-led initiatives in equity, diversity and inclusion.

It was a night not only to celebrate shared identity but also to create a platform where individual talents could shine. A menu inspired by meals from West Africa, South Africa and the Caribbean was served in Hall, followed by an inspiring talk from guest speaker Akima Paul Lambert (Clare 2001). Akima read Law at Clare and is now a partner at Hogan Lovells International LLP. She is the co-founder of Creating Pathways, a mentoring and sponsorship programme for mid- career BAME lawyers in London law firms. She is actively involved in the Association of Caribbean Lawyers and the African Caribbean Education Trust, and works to support justice for Windrush claimants. Akima won the Black British Business Awards senior leader’s award for professional services in 2021. 

The dinner was followed by an open-mic night in Cellars, with performances ranging from spoken words, steel pans, to singing, giving Black students the opportunity to have their voices heard.