127: Cephas Williams – From empathy to empowerment: how to shift power structures

Change Makers: Leadership, Good Business, Ideas and Innovation

On this week’s Change Makers episode in collaboration with the University of London’s School of Advanced Study, looking at addressing the question, “How has Covid changed us?” host Michael Hayman is joined by Cephas Williams, who describes himself on his website in just one word: human.

But one word doesn’t quite do justice to someone with a career as extensive as any campaigner in the UK today.

As founder of the Black British Network, he aims to use the collective influence of business leaders across the UK to keep the conversation going around the challenges of systemic racism we see here and around the world, beyond moments of trauma and public traction.

And as well as convening and inspiring corporate leaders, Cephas has a track record of impacting the public consciousness with his photography campaigns Portrait of Black Britain and 56 Black Men, and the open letter he penned to his new-born son in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020, ‘Letter to Zion’.