22 AUTUMN PROTECT NEWSLETTER In celebration of Black History Month, which take place next month, we sat down with Melissa Lackenby, our Events Manager, to discuss her experiences, perspectives, and insights on diversity and inclusion in the financial services industry. Drawing from her personal journey and professional experiences, Melissa offers valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing Black individuals in this sector. We’ve decided to put the same questions that will also feature in our Black History Month podcast with Richard Goppy and Michael Brown, to Melissa Lackenby, our Events Manager to share her perspective on this important celebration. Here’s what she had to say... Q. Are there any historical figures or events in Black history that have influenced you, whether they are personal or professional? I suppose the most inspirational figure for me was my dad, he came over from Barbados to England when he was just 19 years old. Although my uncle was already here, my dad left his mum, along with the rest of his family, to come to England during the Windrush. When I think back to what I was like at 19 years old, I’m not sure I could have moved across the world to what was really the unknown for him. He worked hard every day, ensuring that we always had the best; not everyone can say they were able to spend the 6 weeks holiday in the Caribbean, but we did, and that was always down to my father’s work ethic. My dad always instilled in us about the importance of getting an education and working hard. He would say that we had work to hard because we are Black, and although I don’t think I ever fully understood why, it was something that pushed me and my brother in life. It raised us with a little fight in us, working hard to make sure we got what we deserved. Black History Month: A Conversation with Melissa Lackenby Melissa Lackenby Events Manager Paradigm
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