The Queen honors Black success

I cannot remember ever seeing such a kaleidoscope of African / Caribbean and Asians, being well and truly amongst the 'great and good', to be bestowed a State honor.

I know that some find it difficult to receive or get too excited about honors that are in the name of the 'Empire', but who would deny these individuals the privilege of having their efforts recognised on a national level? Maybe it's the Empire striking back with courage, goodwill and love.

Of course I'm particularly pleased when my very dear friends are recognised such as OBV's very own Winsome-Grace Cornish, Cllr Dora Dixon-Fyle and Mia Morris, and also for those often unsung heroes and sheroes, who endeavor to enrich our lives wherever they can make things just a little bit better.

BME communities across the country and throughout the world salute you. May you continue to do the brilliant work that you do and that others follow in your footsteps.

Simon Woolley

Here is the full list - if we've missed you out, please let us know. For easy reference I have split them into African Caribbean and Asian community lists

OBE African Caribbean Community

John Uzoma Ekwugha AMAECHI - For services to Sport and to the Voluntary Sector.

Ms Modupe Debbie ARIYO Founder and Executive Director, Africans Unite Against Child Abuse. For services to Children and Famililes.

Ms Beverley DE-GALE Co-Founder, African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust. For services to Healthcare.

Ms Mia Judith MORRIS For services to Black Heritage and to thecommunity in South London.

Beverly Lindsay, for services to business and to the community in Birmingham.

Gerald Vincent Irwin Davis, Chair of Corporation, College of North West London and a member of the Network for Black Professionals' Board, for Voluntary Service to Further Education.

MBE African Caribbean Community

Ms Winsome Grace CORNISH For services to Black and Minority Ethnic People in London.

Councillor Dora DIXON-FYLE For services to Local Government in the London Borough of Southwark.

Hashim Ismail DUALE For services to Community Cohesion in Leicester.

Augustine Leith FRANCIS For services to Steel Pan Music.

Cherron, Mrs INKO-TARIAH Senior Policy Adviser, Big Society Programme Team, Department for Communities and Local Government.

Phillips IDOWU For services to Athletics.

Ainsley Forbes , for services to Social Housing in London. (Chair of the Ujima Foundation)

Morris Samuels, founder of the Unity Project which helps young people in Nottingham through sport.

Duke McKenzie, for his contribution to boxing and his mental health charity work.

Cuthbert Hugh WILLIAMS For voluntary service to Black and Minority Ethnic People in Brighton and Hove.

Chief Charles Coblah Cheata THOMPSON For services to the Black Film Industry.

OBE Asian community

Dr Kanwaljit KAUR-SINGH Chair, British Sikh Educational Council. For services to Education and to Inter-Faith Understanding.

Professor Nirmala RAO Pro-Director (Learning and Teaching) and Professor of Politics, School of Oriental and African Studies. For services to Scholarship.

Kuldip RUPRA For services to Black and Minority Ethnic Communities in the East of England.

Dr Nasser SIABI Chief Executive, Microlink PC (UK) Ltd. For services to Disabled People.

Professor Mona SIDDIQUI Director, Centre for the Study of Islam, University of Glasgow. For services to Inter-Faith Relations.

Ramesh Kumari, Mrs VERMA Chief Executive, EKTA Charity. For services to Older People in East London.

Liaquat ALI For services to Local Government in the London Borough of Waltham Forest.

Rajinder Kaur Mann, Executive Director of the Black Leadership Initiative, part of the Network for Black Professionals, for Services to Black and Minority Ethnic people.

MBE Asian Community

Gurcharan Singh DHESI Sergeant, Metropolitan Police Special Constabulary. For services to the Police.

Asif IQBAL Project Manager, Deaf Parenting UK. For services to Deaf and Disabled People.

Ms Kamaljit KAUR For services to Equal Opportunities for Asian Women.

Parvinder Singh LALLI Executive Officer, Jobcentre Plus, Department for Work and Pensions.

Sohail NAWAZ Director of Shahbash, Preston. For Director of Shahbash, Preston. For services to Community Cohesion.

Ms Namita PANJABI Co-Founder, Masala World. For services to the Hospitality Industry.

Bipinchandra Dharamshi PATEL Vice-Chair of Governors, Working Men's College, London. For services to Adult and Further Education.

Saroj Bala, Mrs SETH For services to Community Cohesion in

Miss Amrit Kumari Dhigpal Kaur SINGH Artist. For services to the Indian Miniature Tradition of Painting.

Miss Rabindra Kumari Dhigpal Kaur SINGH Artist. For services to the Indian Miniature Tradition of Painting.

Dr Marcus Jayant SOLANKI For services to the community in Leicester.

Pictured above: John Uzoma Ekwugha Amaechi, Modupe Debbie Ariyo, Beverley De-Gale, Mia Judith Morris, Winsome Grace Cornish, Councillor Dora Dixon-Fyle , Augustine Leith Francis, Professor Nirmala Rao, Professor Mona Siddiqui,  Gurcharan Singh Dhesi, Namita Panjabi, Liaquat Ali, Kamaljit Kaur, Asif Iqbal.