On 22 October 2015, NOTICED hosted a well-attended event at Reed Smith’s offices in celebration of Black History Month.
The event was opened by NOTICED’s Co-Chair, Sid Shukla, who highlighted the importance of multiculturalism and diversity in the legal sector.
Attendees were then treated to the performance of a play titled, “East End Boys, West End Girls“, which was presented by Spora Stories and written and directed by Ade Solanke. It was a truly inspiring performance, which told the story of four London teenagers competing for a scholarship to attend a prestigious private school. As they interacted the characters learnt about and experienced the cultural and socio-economic divides which exist within London. They grappled with universal themes like stepping outside of one’s comfort zone and community in the pursuit of greater opportunities and the challenges of living up to the expectations of others.
The performance was followed by a Q&A with Ade Solanke and the cast. The issues addressed within the play prompted a thought-provoking discussion on the challenges that are faced by young people, parents and young professionals in London today.
A networking reception followed the performance, which gave attendees the opportunity to have engaging discussions about the themes of the play with each other, the cast and Ade Solanke. It was a great evening for networking and sharing ideas with professionals from different backgrounds and at different career levels.
NOTICED’s Co-Chair, Rashida Abdulai, commented: “We were delighted to have the opportunity to bring Ade Solanke’s play to the City. Many of the themes within the play resonated with our members’ own personal experiences in their pursuit of a career in the upper echelons of the legal industry.“
Sid added: “This was NOTICED’s third BHM event since its inception. In the past, we have had celebrated individuals like Chuka Umunna MP and Baroness Floella Benjamin OBE share their experiences. Making everyone aware of the issues surrounding multiculturalism in the UK legal industry is one of our main goals.“