National Inclusion Week Speakers

This year’s Inclusion Week 2021 will take place from Monday 27 September 2021 to Sunday 3rd October 2021. The campaign is organised by Inclusive Employers a membership organisation established to help employers create inclusive workplaces and the week is designed to celebrate everyday inclusion. The theme for 2021 is “Unity”.

If you are planning an event that week, either in person or online, these are just some of the speakers we work with who could be of interest.

Amar Latif is a blind traveler, speaker, entrepreneur, and television presenter with an astonishing track record of facing up to major challenges. Due to an incurable eye condition, Amar lost 95% of his sight by the age of 18. Through sheer determination, he has managed to turn an unpromising tale of loss, into one of inspirational achievement. 

Amar became known to millions through the groundbreaking BBC2 reality series, Beyond Boundaries, a jungle endurance expedition across Central America. Screened worldwide, this was a grueling 220-mile trek on foot across the rugged interior of Nicaragua, from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast.

His speaking topics include –

• Entrepreneurship,
• Motivation and inspiration,
• Inclusive Design
• Equality and Diversity.

Donna Fraser has become a leader in equality diversity and inclusion with over 10 years of corporate experience within business, sport, leadership, well-being, and PMA for both start-ups and established companies. In 2021 she was awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire) for services to equality, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace and has served as a Trustee, advisor, and Board member for multiple organisations such as the London Marathon Charitable Trust, Women’s Sports Trust, British Athletes Commission, International Women’s Group and Her Spirit to name a few.

Donna Fraser is a 4x Olympian and former 400m sprinter for Great Britain, with a successful athletics career that spanned over 20 years and has a host of European, Commonwealth, and World medals. Donna, unfortunately, retired in 2009 due to being diagnosed with Breast Cancer. She was recognised with the Freedom of the Borough of Croydon in 2018 for services to sport and continues to be enthused to help inspire a generation through education by ‘giving back’ and sharing her knowledge and experience with young people aspiring to achieve their goals.

Matt Ellison is an inspiring and thought-provoking transgender speaker. His life experience as a trans man himself means those who hear Matt speak are inspired and encouraged. The principles of facing something so profoundly difficult and making such a huge and fundamental change apply to everyone in all areas of their professional and personal life.

Tailored towards the audience, Matt Ellison has something to offer all audiences, including healthcare professionals, businesses, educational institutions, emergency services, political and religious groups, plus more. Depending upon requirements he can delve deep into the mind of what it feels like to be transgender with a story full of highs, lows, and humour.

Matt Ellison speaks on a number of topics including –

• How diversity and inclusion can help your company thrive, from recruiting more highly skilled staff to increasing staff productivity and boosting staff retention
• Practical advice on how to be more inclusive, develop good practices, and put together company policies and procedures.
• How to be more dynamic with your diversity and inclusion policies and procedures, creating a higher degree of engagement, including with your non-LGBT staff

Winston Ben Clements is a culture specialist with an emphasis on Resilience and Diversity & Inclusion. His ultimate mission is to help 1 BILLION people to unleash their full human potential. 

Winston was predicted to live a life of isolation and pain due to a rare bone disorder known as Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI). This condition caused his bones to be extremely fragile, suffering over 200 fractures in his lifetime.

Winston Speaking topics include

• Resilience and Change Management – Be Resilient or Resign
• Diversity and Inclusion – Creating Inclusive Cultures

Kess Eruteya is the (20-year old) Founder of InclusionZ and a keynote speaker on Generation Z, Diversity and Inclusion, and Corporate Social Responsibility. InclusionZ is an emerging startup that bridges the gap between leading corporations and Gen Z audiences/talent. Kess directs leading industry brands like LinkedIn, ExperianChubb to attract, engage, and retain Gen Z.

Alongside serving corporations, she is building Technology that matters. Her e-learning platform provides career-development support to thousands of young individuals in over 19 countries.

Whether she is participating in panel discussions with industry leaders like UNICEF’s CMO, conducting entrepreneurship sessions at global conferences, or consulting top corporate companies about Gen Z talent, Kess thrives on impacting the audience.

Her speaking topics include:

• Gen Z Branding and Marketing
• Diversity & Inclusion
• Social Issues/Impact (Corporate Social Responsibility)

Anj Handa is the Founder of Inspiring Women Changemakers, a community of changemakers who stand for fairness and safety for women. Named as one of Grant Thornton’s 100 Faces of a Vibrant Economy in 2018, described by i-news as ‘a bloody brilliant woman’ and winner of the AFSA Positive Action Award, Anj was recently recognised in Forbes as one of the 10 Diversity & Inclusion Trailblazers You Need to Get Familiar With.

She is recognised as an authority on diversity, equity, and inclusion, with in-depth knowledge of UK equality and employment policies and international best practice in leadership.

Her talks focus on three key areas and can be tailored to audiences

• Navigating the Labyrinth: Shattering the Myth of the Glass Ceiling
• Self-Care for Changemakers
• Why you’re not harnessing diverse talent – and what to do about it

Anne Wafula Strike, MBE, is an inspirational and motivational speaker who draws on her own life experiences and achievements to inspire her audiences.Born in Mihu, Kenya, to Nekesa Ruth and Athumani Wafula, Anne was a fit and healthy child before polio struck when she was two years old. She was given the middle name of Olympia at birth, a title of prophetic significance for the future and prescient of hurdles she would face in forthcoming years.

2004 marked the beginning of an Olympic career when Anne became the first wheelchair racer from Sub-Sahara Africa to compete at the Paralympics in Athens. In 2006 Anne became a British citizen and joined Team GB and in 2007 she was officially recognised by the Queen at a Buckingham Palace reception for her work as a disabled athlete and for involvement in charity work for people with disabilities.

Her speaking topics include –

• Disability
• Disruption
• Sport
• Overcoming Adversity & Barriers
• Diversity & Inclusion
• Change
• Leadership