On Friday 8 October 2021, we welcomed special guest speaker, Alexandra Wilson, as part of our Black History Month celebrations.

About Alexandra Wilson

Alexandra is a 26 year old barrister, author and campaigner.

She first came into the public eye when she was mistaken for a defendant three times on the same day in court. She has made it her mission to challenge discrimination in the courtroom. Alexandra has been interviewed on BBC News, ITV news, Good Morning Britain and Women's Hour, and has also been profiled in The New York Times and the Independent.

Alexandra's widely praised debut book “In Black and White: A Young Barrister’s Story of Race and Class in a Broken Justice System”, sets out her journey from Essex to the Bar, and portrays a justice system in which a disproportionately large number of Black people are charged, convicted and sent to prison.

She is also the founder of Black Women In Law, an organisation with over 500 members. She also co-founded One Case At A Time, an organisation which facilitates legal funding and representation in cases of injustice for Black people in the UK.

As part of her speech, Alexandra shared her story with our students, telling them about the three tangents of her work: Law, Writing and Activism. She shared humorous anecdotes about her life, as well as the deeply moving story about why she found herself interested in becoming a barrister in her youth. 

Our students were engaged throughout the speech, and asked thoughtful questions relating to work/life balances and the impact of religion on being a barrister during the Q&A session at the end.

Needless to say, our students felt very inspired listening to such an accomplished and passionate woman.

We'd like to thank Alexandra for coming along and speaking to our students.