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To mark Black History Month, Herbert Smith Freehills is today publishing an anthology of thoughts and experiences shared by Black colleagues across the firm and leading external commentators.

Called 'Onwards and Upwards' the publication has been created by the firm's Black Asian and Minority Ethnic Committee with support from the London Multiculturalism Network. Its aim is to explore the intertwined themes of Black Lives Matter, community and belonging and hope and growth.

At the same time, the publication also explores the impact of the pandemic on communities, offering insights into experiences of the Black community, worldwide, together with perspectives on what lies ahead. Contributors also focus on issues including racism in the workplace and what it means to become anti-racist.

"Making the time and effort to understand each other's lived experiences is an important part of our commitment to building a more inclusive culture in which everyone can thrive," says Alison Brown, executive partner at Herbert Smith Freehills.

She continues: "That the past year has been challenging is not in doubt – but the social, political and economic uncertainties presented to us have, in many cases, revealed a resilience in the face of adversity and a determination to tackle challenges to look forward to a more positive future. Capturing this through the eyes of colleagues enables us to collectively take another step towards a society built on greater understanding and respect."

Spearheaded by Vrinda Vinayak and Corinna Cherrie, co-chairs of the firm's Black Asian and Minority Ethnic Committee, this year's publication follows the success of 'Reflections of a Community', published 12 months ago.

The new publication, which forms part of Herbert Smith Freehills' 10 Actions for Change on ethnic diversity, is available for download here.
 


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