Community Building 101 | Leadership with UK Black Pride.

Jon-Paul Vicari and Lady Phyll explore the importance of innovative leadership when community building.

At We Create Space, we see the transformative power of community every single day. When it comes to championing inclusion & creating space in which everyone can thrive, we believe community-building isn’t just a solution. It’s the foundation.

We were thrilled to invite UK Black Pride to join us for the third edition of Community Building 101. Hosted by WCS Managing Director Jon-Paul Vicari in conversation with Phyll Opoku-Gyimah aka Lady Phyll and Timon Timon from UK Black Pride, this instalment focused on the key pillar of ‘Leadership’ as a fundamental factor in creating impactful & sustainable communities that provide both a sense of belonging & purpose. 

Our previous sessions have focused on Inclusion and Wellbeing, with perspectives from the team behind Trans+ History Week and Voda: The LGBTQIA+ Mental Wellbeing App.

The objective of Community Building 101 is to provide actionable strategies & tools to promote effective change, collective learning, workplace culture & shared values. It also serves as a talking point for how grassroots principles can be applied in corporate settings and vice versa.

We asked our speakers to share their main takeaways from the event:

Jon-Paul Vicari

1. Leadership starts with listening, a great leader creates psychological safety for people to provide feedback without fear of reaction. 

2. Be adaptable, each person/community will have different needs and a one size fit all approach can be harmful.

3. You don’t have to carry it all alone, sometimes we shield people from our own emotions or issues. However, stop and consider if you’re protecting people from unnecessary stress or if you’re afraid of being viewed as a burden. 

   
   
   
   

Timon Timon

1. Let us tell our own stories—in our own voice and within our own capacity. We may not look like the “standard” leaders or be the most eloquent speakers. We may have accents, different rhythms, or different styles. But no one can tell our truth.

2. Lead with care. Care and compassion are radical tools for building trust, especially in our communities.

3. Collaboration is a strategy. When we move together, especially with lived experiences, we build something far stronger and more sustainable.

Lady Phyll

1. Leadership rooted in community is messy, radical, bold, brave and necessary. Build with care, not control.

2. Sustainability is not just about funding, it’s about values, wellbeing, and collective ownership.

3. Inclusion without justice is performance and window dressing. Create power-sharing structures, not photo ops.

   
   

If you would like to discuss booking one of these speakers for your own session, please get in touch with us via email at hello@wecreatespace.co

---

While you're here...

Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here.

We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!