““Being an ally is just the first step, the simplest one, it is the space wherein the privileged begin to accept the flawed dynamics that make for inequality.”
― Mikki Kendall,
About us
The White Allies Network is a network of people that are committed to learn and do what it takes to be counted true allies against racism. It consists of white people who aspire to be true allies and people of colour that are willing to journey with them towards that aim. The White Allies Network is open to all.
To help the network operate, we have a Steering Group composed of Aspiring White Ally (AWA) Members. They are individuals who have committed to both privately and publicly take action on issues of racial justice, and to be known and held collectively accountable for what we do as a network. The steering group meet regularly to plan and organise meetings and other activities, responsive to the needs and requests of Network members. They help ensure the Network's aims and objectives are being met, or concrete progress is made towards them.
We also have a Council of Reference composed of Co-Mentor (COM) Members - people of colour from a variety of backgrounds that have generously agreed to support and challenge us, helping us keep perspective, avoid becoming an 'echo chamber' and falling into the dual traps of 'virtue signalling' or 'white saviourism'. They will help oversee our programme of education and action.The Council participate in some steering group meetings, but are primarily here to guide our activity and ensure we are keeping on track towards our aspiration of becoming true allies with people of colour against racial injustice.
Find out more about who is involved in both groups below:
Our Steering Group
Adrian Lock
Network Coordinator
Founding Director,
Deeper Leaders
Adrian has overall responsibility for maintaining the website and organising meetings, of the Network, of the Steering Group and the Council of Reference.
He is a leadership developer and executive coach of 30+ years. He was profoundly disturbed by the death of George Floyd, and the shallowness of his understanding of racism and white privilege. He is determined to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem.
Eleanor Harrison
CEO, Impetus
Eleanor is CEO of youth charity Impetus. Before this, Eleanor was Interim Chief Executive of Safe Passage International, using strategic advocacy and litigation to open and defend safe, legal routes to sanctuary for young people seeking asylum.
Previously Eleanor spent six years as Chief Executive of GlobalGiving UK; an award-winning global charity challenging traditional aid dynamics; using digital to enable better access to funding and learning for local organisations everywhere.
Daniel May-Miller
Comms Manager, Streatham Baptist Church
Daniel is part of a noisy, busy, neurodiverse household, including three children under 10 and his brilliant wife who works part time as a hospital doctor. As well as his role as Comms Manager for a large local multicultural church, Daniel has always been interested at the intersection of faith and politics.
Daniel loves to see individuals develop through strategic relationships and mentoring and sees the White Allies Network as an opportunity to encourage each other to take concrete action and improve ourselves for the benefit of others.
James Barrick
Administrative Assistant, Project Choice, Health Education England
James grew up in and around South London. He studied for a BA in History and Politics at University of London Goldsmiths. As well as his current paid role he helps on the live streaming and sound desk at Streatham Baptist Church. In each setting he finds himself, his technical problem-solving skills are highly sought after!
James feels passionately about the causes of migrants and refugees being upheld to ensure their safety and equal treatment as people.
Angela Young
Author
James grew up in and around South London. He studied for a BA in History and Politics at University of London Goldsmiths. His current roles include Missional Administrator at Streatham Baptist Church and working for the charity Love Streatham. In each setting he finds himself, his technical problem-solving skills are highly sought after!
James feels passionately about the causes of migrants and refugees being upheld to ensure their safety and equal treatment as people.
Angela Young writes fiction. She’s had two novels published and is writing others: their subject matter is the damage done by things left unsaid. Her last full-time work was at The Economist, as its first Personnel Manager.
Since the murder of George Floyd, Angela has, belatedly, understood that race and racism are white supremacist inventions that must be dismantled. Since then she has been an aspiring antiracist who passionately believes that the colour of a person’s skin should never determine a life’s trajectory and, is committed to antiracist conversations and actions through this Network and beyond.
Angela lives in SW London with her partner.
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Naomi Luff
Theologian & Youth Work Mentor
James grew up in and around South London. He studied for a BA in History and Politics at University of London Goldsmiths. His current roles include Missional Administrator at Streatham Baptist Church and working for the charity Love Streatham. In each setting he finds himself, his technical problem-solving skills are highly sought after!
James feels passionately about the causes of migrants and refugees being upheld to ensure their safety and equal treatment as people.
Naomi lived and worked around Kings Cross for nearly 20 years, before recently getting married and moving to Deptford. Her background is youth work and she is passionate about supporting youth workers in central London.
She completed an MA in practical theology, exploring the use of contemplative practices in urban youth work.
Naomi is inspired and daunted by the goal of this network and committed to the hard work of growing in self-awareness that anti-racist work requires.
Claire Mathys
Policy Adviser & Strategist
Founder, Impact Policy
James grew up in and around South London. He studied for a BA in History and Politics at University of London Goldsmiths. His current roles include Missional Administrator at Streatham Baptist Church and working for the charity Love Streatham. In each setting he finds himself, his technical problem-solving skills are highly sought after!
James feels passionately about the causes of migrants and refugees being upheld to ensure their safety and equal treatment as people.
Claire is a charity consultant and founder of Impact Policy, which helps not-for-profit organisations influence Government policy to bring about lasting change.
She grew up in South London and was a co-founder of Love Streatham, a social action and churches-together network.
Claire is passionate about community building and social integration and excited about how the White Allies Network could help to break down racism in our society.
Our Council of Reference
Prof Robert Beckford
Director of the Institute for Climate and Social Justice at the University of Winchester, UK
Robert is an activist scholar, working interdisciplinarily to address, confront and overturn injustice in African mainland and diaspora communities.
He is a BAFTA Award-winning documentary filmmaker whose credits include the hard-hitting 2005 Channel 4 documentary 'The Empire Pays Back' on the case for reparations.
His most recent media projects include an independent film project exploring the meaning of reconciliation in response to the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. Also a BBC World Service documentary on the environmental impact of colonialism on Barbados (2022).
In autumn 2022, Robert hosted the first national symposium for global majority peoples in Britain advocating climate and social justice. In 2023, he turned a long-running family argument into a BBC Radio 4 series dealing with the experiences of the Caribbean immigrants who came to the UK as part of the Windrush Generation.
Robert recently contributed to The Brattle Report on reparations (2023) - the most comprehensive global calculation for reparations ever compiled.
Suzann Douglas
Integrative Counsellor
and Author
Suzanne’s book entitled: ‘Dear Piers Morgan: understanding the implicit connotations of your comments in Meghan to race’ is an open letter responding to the presenter’s comments about Meghan Markle. A book that may have contributed to his departure from breakfast TV.
Published in 2020, it is the passionate result of many years of observing systemic bias, and uncovers the untrue narratives told about history and race.
It combines her passion, counselling training insight and hours of research to demonstrate the process of building implicit racial bias, from the cradle to adulthood.
Neil Charlton
Youth Worker
Streatham Baptist Church
Neil has over 18 years of experience in youth work. He has served several schools as a sports coach, a pastoral worker, and a mentor with the Met Police. He has led events for teenagers locally, nationally and internationally and, in 2012, received a London Youth Award recognising his work among young Londoners.
Since the early 2000 he has been both professionally and personally affected by the rise of serious youth violence which he has sought to challenge and address in his work.
Neil loves to read & study and has recently completed his theological studies at Spurgeon’s College including a dissertation on ancient African Christianity and essays on healing racial trauma in church.
He is married to Tatenda & has a teenage step-son, Gabriel.
Neil has over 18 years of experience in youth work. He has served several schools as a sports coach, a pastoral worker, and a mentor with the Met Police. He has led events for teenagers locally, nationally and internationally and, in 2012, received a London Youth Award recognising his work among young Londoners.
Since the early 2000 he has been both professionally and personally affected by the rise of serious youth violence which he has sought to challenge and address in his work.
Neil loves to read & study and has recently completed his theological studies at Spurgeon’s College including a dissertation on ancient African Christianity and essays on healing racial trauma in church.
He is married to Tatenda & has a teenage step-son, Gabriel.
Neil Charlton
Youth Worker
Streatham Baptist Church
Roy Clarke
Teaching & Research Fellow
Roffey Park Institute
Roy is an experienced and experiential Learning and Development Professional with knowledge of Human Resources Management, and Career Development. He has more than 20 years’ experience within Learning and Development management and facilitative roles within the UK and the UAE. He has successfully applied his ability to motivate, enthuse and build the capacity of others across a range of diverse cultures.
Roy has worked extensively with public sector organisations, charities, and community groups. He has experience of leading the Learning and Development function and designing and delivering programmes around HRM themes. He has led change management initiatives, and talent development interventions
Irene Ng
Freelance Creative
Irene started out in the creative industries and worked internationally as an actor, presenter and workshop facilitator.
She spent several years on the race relations committee at Equity, the actors union and is currently training to become a counsellor. She volunteers in church, charities and prisons, working alongside vulnerable children, teens and adults, particularly those struggling with their mental health.
Irene believes that every person has unique intrinsic value and the potential for a life lived well, through building confidence, affirming individual identity and aiming for personal excellence.
Irene started out in the creative industries and worked internationally as an actor, presenter and workshop facilitator.
She spent several years on the race relations committee at Equity, the actors union and is currently training to become a counsellor. She volunteers in church, charities and prisons, working alongside vulnerable children, teens and adults, particularly those struggling with their mental health.
Irene believes that every person has unique intrinsic value and the potential for a life lived well, through building confidence, affirming individual identity and aiming for personal excellence.
Irene Ng
Freelance Creative
Josephine Namusisi-Riley
Project Lead at Citizen UK - Parents and Communities Together Project (PACT)
Josephine is a wife and mother of 3 children.
She works for Citizens UK, leading a maternal mental health project called Parents and Communities Together (PACT) in Southwark. She is currently a Trustee of the Maudsley Charity and Chair of the Well_Lab Wisdom Board at Brink.
Josephine is also the Founder of www.whiteallies.org, an initiative calling upon white people to support anti-racism work by sharing stories of witnessing racism and benefitting from their privilege. This is what brought her to serving as a member of the Council of Reference of the White Allies Network.
Josephine is a wife and mother of three children.
She works for Citizens UK, leading a maternal mental health project called Parents and Communities Together (PACT) in Southwark. She is currently a Trustee of the Maudsley Charity and Chair of the Well_Lab Wisdom Board at Brink.
Josephine is also the Founder of www.whiteallies.org, an initiative calling upon white people to support anti-racism work by sharing stories of witnessing racism and benefitting from their privilege. This is what brought her to serving as a member of the Council of Reference of the White Allies Network.
Josephine Namusisi-Riley
Project Lead at Citizen UK - Parents and Communities Together Project (PACT)
Sandy Sohal
Director of Services
and Board Trustee
Sandy has held a variety of senior customer service and experience roles in the transport and social housing sectors. She has a track record in leading change; service transformation and modernisation, and designing and implementing new operating models to deliver savings, increase income and improve the customer experience.
During her career she has delivered service improvements, service standards, customer propositions and customer strategy, and has experience in contact centre operations, operational crisis management, continuous improvement and mobilising new contracts and operations.
She is passionate about the value of equity, diversity and inclusion, and is a collaborative and inclusive leader, with a track record in increasing employee engagement and belonging.