Creating an Anti-Racist Wales Conference

Selima Bahadur is the Team Lead for the Race and Policy Team at EYST Wales, an award-winning minority ethnic charity organisation. Selima has worked extensively in her career to ensure the voices and concerns of minority ethnic communities are heard and considered by Welsh Government, Local Authorities, Public Bodies, Partner Organisations, etc. Since starting at EYST Wales, Selima has focussed on anti-racism and eliminating racism and racial disparities, in all areas of life including education, housing, public life, health, etc. She also continues with her lifelong passion of delivering race related and inclusivity training. A recent highlight for Selima has been to represent EYST, voicing concerns about the racism experienced by minority ethnic clients and communities, at the United Nations in Geneva for the CERD Meeting.

Kathryn is a proud Welsh woman who has spent all of her career studying and working within Wales. After having achieved a BA Hons in Welsh Language, followed a PGCE and an MA in Sociolinguistics, Kathryn has enjoyed 15yrs experience working within NHS Wales. She first joined the Welsh Language Unit for the former Local Health Boards across South East Wales before moving into the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Team at Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board. Since then, Kathryn has continued to develop her passion for achieving fairness for all within the healthcare sector and has enjoyed working for Powys Teaching, Health Board and Hywel Dda University Health Board before joining Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust this year as their Head of Inclusion and Engagement. A true people person, Kathryn enjoys listening to others share their lived experiences and helping those who face challenges to break down barriers and eliminate discrimination.

Amari Smith-Samuel is the Regional Lead for Inclusion, Culture and Engagement at Network Rail Wales and Western. As the lead for these workstreams within the Wales and Western People Plan, his objective is to ensure the region engages, motivates, and reconnects with all employees. Amari has held various roles within EDI over the past decade including being a youth worker, equality representative (University of Leicester) and the EDI lead for several of Network Rail’s departments. Most notably he was the reciprocal mentor to Andrew Haines (Network Rail’s CEO) in race equality, which increased his understanding and appreciation of data when influencing change within an organisation.

Aliya is the Chief Executive Officer of Race Equality First. She has expertise in HR, Equality Act 2010 and Hate Crime legislation.

Under her leadership, Race Equality First has secured over 70 successful employment tribunal cases and has delivered anti-racism and hate crime training for the civil services for over 10 years. She led and developed the Framework for Action on Hate Crime for the Welsh Government in 2016 she chaired the Welsh Committee for United Nations Special Rapporteur on Racism to the UK, giving evidence to the United Nations in Geneva during the last UK session regarding the UK Government’s commitment to racial equality.

Before joining Race Equality First, Aliya worked for the Seren Group (now the Pobl Group). Aliya has worked in the women’s equality sector and as a journalist. She is fluent in four languages and brings in-depth knowledge of human resources, human rights, strategic leadership and operational management and advises all staff dealing with legal issues and employment tribunals, having led successful tribunal claims for many years.

After graduating from Bath Spa University, I began my career at St Monica’s Church in Wales Primary School in the diverse area of Cathays in Cardiff. During the early part of my career I was fortunate to have the opportunity to study Education and Bilingual Learning at Swansea Metropolitan University, with a focus on teaching children with English as an Additional Language, Ethnic Minority Achievement and race equality. During my time at St Monica’s I was able to prove myself as a successful class teacher, and ALNCo, especially adept at supporting children and families who were newly arrived to Wales with no previous experience of the English or Welsh language.

In September 2018, I moved to Kitchener Primary School in the Riverside area of Cardiff where I continues to support children and families from global majority backgrounds as part of my current role as Assistant Head Teacher. I have a deep personal commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and, after completing the DARPL Enhanced Leadership training, have passionately led the school in its antiracist work.