Attended UK Black Business Show & see my icon

This blog provides my personal experiences when attending UK Black Business Show at Birmingham's NEC and being able to participate in a Q&A with one of my icons

This is the first time I've attended a business-related event in 5 years. My aim was to network and seek specific advice. Unlike other events I have attended during the spring months there was a reduced amount of organisations and people that I would approach because of their relevance.

Throughout the event, I meet with Business leaders, Business support advisors, Media staff and management. Had a great conversation with a journalist from London-based Colourful Radio and covered different insights and perspectives. The main approach related to organisations is with the Greater Birmingham and Solihull business growth hub and the business advice service with the West Midlands combined authority.

This was not the only reason I attended this event but also a special interview with one of the most legendary names in Britain and a very respected journalism and broadcasting. A special conversion was with Sir Trevor McDonald OBE was interviewed by Shelly Biston, head of diversity equity and inclusion at News UK.

The interview shares Sir Trevor's insight since he started journalism and broadcasting when he was based in Trinidad. Also, how it led to different kinds of opportunities with coming to the UK first with the BBC then became a monumental icon with independent television news (ITN) and the ITV network.

He shared different examples of the importance to display variety in journalism and reporting. Many people may not know that Sir Trevor reported on the disputes happening in Northern Ireland. He talked about how he approaches reporting in different parts of the world. Alsd Sir Trevor Shared his experiences when interviewing key leaders around of the world including Nelson Mandela the first journalist in the world interview him since he was imprisoned for many decades. Also, his insight on other exclusive interviews with Saddam Hussein over the gulf war and with former US President George W Bush. During that interview Trevor's hard-hitting interview to the former US Presedent related to Iraq War lad the president to have a defensive reaction.

My Q&A Opportunity directly to Sir Trevor
This keynote conversation opened to the audience for a Q&A. I had the special honor to be able to ask a question. 

However, because of the strict rules they only allow a person within a section of the audience so I had to take a risk to ask two questions because someone nearby also wanted to ask a question. However, I was very polite to them and mentions if they don't be cheecky but to ask two questions Trevor responded cheeky everybody laughed. Firstly off of an audience member nearby, I first ask if there are people you wished you had a chance to interview which it never got to do.

The second question was what I plan to ask originally. It was to do with the progress of equality and diversity. As Sir Trevor was groundbreaking as one of the first black people in the fear his field of journalism and broadcasting. I emphasize other examples of progress for black and ethnic backgrounds in opportunities with women and with LGBT. I then conclude by asking if is it now time to be more accepting of black and ethnic backgrounds with neurodiversity and how to make sure a person's difficulty should not hold them back. I emphasize sharing living with the autistic spectrum and linked with neurodiversity and I explained that I have to face obstacles and prejudice. My planned question was the only one that the studio audiences clap to. Sir Trevor responded that they should be acceptance and explained there is no excuse for discrimination. He used this as a context for how it doesn't understand why in Afghanistan they banned women from work and education.

After the event
This keynote interview was being filmed for the event so after the interview I went to the production team to find out if the Q&A section of the interview was also filmed. With how I questioned Sir Trevor, surprisingly the team thought that I was a journalist. I found that as an amazing compliment, I wasn't expecting.

I would be informed by the team at the UK black business show if my q&a question was filmed or not. I will keep you updated on this and if the video is available I will notify and share this with everyone online.

Words cannot describe my experience when attending the UK black business show. It was an honor and privilege to not only attend this event but to be able to ask a Q&A question to my icon and someone with I look up to extremely high for most of my life.