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Last month I was privileged to meet Mary Wilson, former member of the Supremes, at a US Embassy event celebrating American Black History Month. Wilson, now 70, spoke about when she was young and how the world was still one where black communities were separated from white communities.

It takes a brave woman already isolated within her party to state some uncomfortable truths. Last night Baroness Sayeeda Warsi stepped into the bitter debate about elitism with the Conservative party commenting on the Education Secretary Michael Gove weekend interview remark that the Prime Minister was surrounded by his old Etonian friends, Warsi claimed that Gove had a point.

Labour Party local candidate Adeline Aina was given unprecedented support at a 'special' hearing by the London Labour Party to see if she was of good ‘character’ to stand as a local councillor.

A number of people came to the 'special' hearing including local party activist Belinda Washington and Kevin Craig, but also local community leaders such as the Rev Canon Bowman of St Andrews Church in Stockwell.

Something for the weekend

Red Velvet uncovers the true, but forgotten story of Ira Aldridge, an African-American actor, who played Othello on the London stage in 1833. Written by Lolita Chakrabarti and starring Adrian Lester as Ira Aldridge, the play examines and analyses the hot topics of race and racism in Victorian Britain by exploring aspects of Ira Aldridge's life story.

Even before his untimely death, the RMT union chief Bob Crow was a legend, a living legend. He showed that if you had the right strategy, neither big business nor big Government could push you around.

It’s worth remembering that in an employment climate in which literally hundreds of thousands of workers have been forced into ‘Zero hour’, contracts, giving no security, no sick pay and perpetually low salaries, his members were amongst the best paid, best protected ‘blue collar’ workers in the UK.

“You have no excuse not to succeed,” exclaimed OBV Director Simon Woolley to a 200-strong audience of Year 9 students at the Petchey Academy in Hackney last week. This message is one that all youngsters should hear, and especially those of the BME community, of which most of the students in the room belonged to.

The focus of Woolley’s speech was to point out the obstacles that these students might face, while inspiring them to persevere and strive to be the best that they can.

In a context in which young Black and Asian women are seriously breaking new political ground, Monica Sharma sets an example of passion and determination. At the young age of 23, she has been able to attain a degree in International Politics from City University, and pave a path for herself inside politics by working for two MPs and now a Peer.

The most important detail of this story is that Sharma, the daughter of Indian immigrants, has been able to find success for herself, whilst being a role model for others.

At last week’s General Election Summit organised by Operation Black Vote, a range of organisations gathered from across the country to begin the 2015 General Election strategy to address the Black Minority Ethnic (BME) democratic deficit and to ensure that race equality is put firmly back on the agenda.

Although the impacts of racial inequality are widespread and devastating, there was much to be positive about as OBV’s research revealed that in over 25% of parliamentary seats, BME communities could play a critical role, if we positively engage.

As the US Black History Month celebrations came to an end last week, the transatlantic spirit was enjoyed in London with a stunning performance from former ‘Motown Supremes’ member Mary Wilson. OBV had the privilege of being invited to the Deputy Chief of Mission of the US Embassy, Elizabeth Dibble’s residence, where we were joined by a number of notable figures including Baroness Lawrence and Baroness Benjamin in honour of US Black History Month.