Newsletter July – Conferences Hosted by Black Coachers

BLACK VOICES IN COACHING RESEARCH CONFERENCE 2024

7th July 2024

The inaugural Black Voices in Coaching Research Conference (28 – 29 June), a groundbreaking event hosted by the visionary team at BlackCoachers.com, proved to be profoundly impactful.

This London-based international gathering provided a much-needed platform for Black coaching educators, researchers, and practitioners to delve into the critical intersection of diversity and coaching.

A massive round of applause goes to the phenomenal MC, Junior Beaman. From the witty introductions to the seamless transitions between sessions, Junior kept the energy high, and the audience engaged with their unique blend of timing, enthusiasm, passion and humour.

The speaker line-up was truly exceptional, with Dr Pamela Larde, PhD, Director of Education at Harvard McLean Institute of Coaching, offering an inspired perspective on fostering Joy in Coaching. Dr. Gregory Pennington, PhD, a leading expert in Leadership Coaching, equipped delegates with invaluable tools to navigate the complexities of Similarity in Executive Coaching within the Black community. Nankhonde Kasonde-van den Broek, #1 African Coach & founder of Zanga African Metrics, offered a refreshing presentation on Coaching from an African Perspective. Dr Gifford Rhamie provided crucial strategies for Black Coachers to thrive in predominantly White Coaching Spaces.

The conference showcased emerging voices in coaching; Remi Ray, a Neurodiverse Coacher, drawing on their own experiences, presented compelling research on Black Neurodiverse Employees in the Workplace. Charmaine Roche, co-author of the ground-breaking report on structural and systemic racism in coaching, delivered a thought-provoking closing session on decolonising coaching research, theory and practice.

The panel discussion, expertly facilitated by Jenny Garrett OBE, brought together a diverse group, including Bryan Bonaparte, Martha Cuffy, Dr. M.H. Amirhosseini, Dr. Jummy Okoya, and Tseitsi Telitle. Their conversation delved into the crucial topic of “Decolonising Coaching: Integrating Indigenous and Ancestral Knowledge”, the discussion fostered a space for stimulating dialogue and exploring innovative solutions.

The conference experience was further enriched by research poster presentations from international Postgraduate Researchers (PGRs) Susan McGuire (USA), Elona Nobukoshi Ndlovu (South Africa), Reuben Ramuada (South Africa), Dr M. H Amirhosseini (UK), and Dr Jummy Okoya (UK). Their diverse research contributions provided valuable insight into trends in Coaching Research.

Dr Saiyyidah Zaidi led a facilitated workshop on “How Indigenous and Ancestral Knowledge can be Incorporated into Coaching Practice to enhance the Coachers Toolkit, providing delegates with practical guidance on the relevance of “Storytelling” for contextualisation of time, place and context.

The Black Voices in Coaching Research Conference stands out as a resounding success. BlackCoachers.com must be commended for creating a space that elevates Black voices and experiences within the coaching landscape.

The conference equipped delegates with valuable knowledge and strategies fostering a critical exchange of ideas, empowered Black coaching professionals and holds immense potential to shape the coaching ecosystem by providing an opportunity to learn, grow, and reimagine the future of coaching through a more inclusive lens.