Black History Month: A brown woman's reflections

To celebrate Black History Month, FWN are publishing a series of articles on inspiring black women from History. Kamal Preet Kaur provides some reflections, as a brown woman.

I'll never forget my maiden speech at Hillingdon Council. I stood up to support Black History Month motion and shared an anecdote about a Black MP who was directed to the service lift. They thought she was there to clean, not to legislate. And then, the Tory councillors voted it down. The motion was lost. I was furious—not just angry, but gutted. How could they hear that story and still say no?

Black History Month means something different to me now that I'm in politics. As a brown woman from India, I used to see it as "their" history. Now I know it's ours.

When people compare Mandela and Gandhi, they're recognising what I've always felt—that our struggles are connected, that racism doesn't care what shade of brown you are.

Maya Angelou taught me about rising when they push you down. I've carried her words into every council chamber, every meeting where I'm underestimated.

The night Obama won, I cried. Properly cried. Not because everything was suddenly fine, but because I saw what was possible. A barrier had broken, and maybe, just maybe, there was room for the rest of us.

Black History Month isn't about the past anymore. It's about why I'm here, fighting to make sure no one else gets pointed toward the service entrance. It's about honouring the people who fought so I could have this seat, this voice. Their courage isn't history—it's happening now, through all of us who refuse to be invisible.

Kamal Preet Kaur-- is an elected councillor, a freelance multi-platform journalist and a FWN exec member.