The Bounce Black Team

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Each October in the UK, Black History Month offers us a chance to pause, reflect, and celebrate. It is a time to honour the richness of Black heritage, acknowledge the resilience that has carried our communities through generations, and commit once again to shaping futures rooted in dignity, healing, and flourishing.

The theme for Black History Month 2025 is “Standing Firm in Power and Pride.”

At Bounce Black, this theme resonates deeply. It speaks to the work we do every day: creating spaces where Black students and professionals can thrive in wellbeing and at work, while holding fast to who we are, where we come from, and what we are building for the future.

Honouring the Past

The call to stand firm is not new to Black communities.

From the early activists and thinkers who fought against slavery and colonial rule, to the Windrush generation who rebuilt Britain while facing systemic (and ongoing) exclusion, to pioneers such as Asquith Xavier, Olive Morris, and Claudia Jones.

Our history is filled with examples of people who refused to shrink in the face of injustice.

Their legacies remind us: we are part of a lineage of resilience, brilliance, and creativity.

Standing firm is our inheritance, and it is our calling.

Navigating the Present

Today, Black professionals and students continue to navigate systemic challenges, such as underrepresentation in senior leadership, racial pay gaps, workplace discrimination and retaliation, as well as disproportionate attainment gaps in education.

And yet, despite these barriers, Black excellence persists.

We innovate, we create, we lead. We build businesses, write books, launch movements, and push forward in industries that were never designed with us in mind.

But standing firm is not only about survival.

It’s also about prioritising wellbeing, healing, and joy in the process.

At Bounce Black, we believe thriving holistically is the birthright of every one of us and it is non-negotiable.

Building the Future

Standing firm in power and pride is also a call to look forward.

It is about reimagining institutions that centre equity, creating workplaces that do not just extract labour but nurture human potential, and fostering communities where Black people can show up whole, free, and flourishing.

Our mission is rooted in this conviction: that thriving is not just an individual pursuit but a collective one.

To stand firm in cultural pride is to build together.

To stand firm is to make space for the next generation to step into their power with dignity, and without apology.

Our Commitment

This Black History Month, Bounce Black recommits to:

• Honouring the legacy of those who stood before us
• Supporting Black students and professionals in thriving at every stage of their journey
• Advocating for systems that prioritise equity, wellbeing, and justice

We stand firm in the knowledge that our power is real, our pride is unshakable, and our potential is infinite.

Celebrating Us

Throughout October, we’ll be sharing stories, opportunities, resources, and reflections that highlight how we, as a community, stand firm in power and pride together.

Follow along, engage with us, and let’s continue building a world where Black thriving is the standard, not the exception.