Bloomsbury unveils Black History Month programme for staff

Bloomsbury’s Bloom Network has arranged a series of author events, walking tours and communications for staff throughout October, in celebration of Black History Month. 

The Bloom Network aims to support ethnically diverse colleagues across the company, offering a safe space to share ideas and concerns, and work to foster an inclusive environment. It is supported by an executive sponsor who sits on the company’s executive committee, and a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) manager.

Authors and illustrators who will be participating in virtual and in-person events include Jimi Famurewa, Melissa Thompson, author of Jamaican cookbook Motherland, who will host a live cook-along, Marley Hall, and Beth Suzanna, illustrator of The Missing Piece, who will lead a crafting session.

The network is also collaborating with Black History Walks to run weekly tours of the Soho area, near to Bloomsbury’s London office, visiting locations of significance to African and Caribbean history. There will also be a newsletter celebrating underrepresented people of colour in science, literature and the arts, philosophy, religion, politics and activism.

Fabia Ma, head of online sales and chair of Bloom, said: “The Bloom Network’s mission is to connect, support and represent ethnically diverse colleagues at Bloomsbury and Black History Month offers a great opportunity to do that, engaging with as many staff as possible. I am proud of the programme we’ve pulled together, grateful to the Network members for their dedication and excited to foreground Black creators past and present throughout October.”

In the company overall, various initiatives are under way to address underrepresentation, including the Lit in Colour partnership with The Runnymede Trust and a recent event with c.e.o. Nigel Newton, board member Baroness Lola Young and Black Writers Guild founder Nels Abbey. In 2022, the company won two awards for its DEI efforts, awarded by the Independent Publishers Guild and London Book Fair.

DEI manager Annie Muyang commented: “Bloomsbury’s Staff Networks are one of the company’s great strengths in our efforts to become more inclusive, all run by incredibly dedicated members of staff. The Bloom Network is no exception and they have put together an engaging and thoughtful series of events for Black History Month, which staff from all corners of Bloomsbury can access, enjoy and learn from.”

Elsewhere, the publisher will be marking the month with promotional campaigns across its divisions.