What is Black History Month?
Black History Month takes place every October in the UK as a way of celebrating the work of Black people throughout history.
The theme for 2025 is 'Standing firm in power and pride'. This year's theme highlights the contributions of Black people as leaders and pioneers, in the past and present. This Black History Month, we'd really love to hear from our Black members about their experiences and achievements in their dietetic careers. What led you to the profession? What do you find rewarding about your role? What are you most proud of? Email [email protected] throughout the month to share.
Representation in the dietetic workforce matters. With 4.3% of our membership identifying as being Black British of Caribbean, African or from another origin or of a mixed ethnic background with African or Caribbean heritage (according to our latest EDI data*), this representation has grown in recent years, however there is certainly work to be done within the profession to reflect the rich diversity of communities in which we work.
*This is the data collected from members in the MyBDA area of the website. Some members may have chosen not to share this information with us.
How can members show support this Black History Month?
Throughout the month, we'll be sharing some content on social media that you can follow and engage with. However, check out some key dates for your diary below:
- On 16 October 2025, join us for a Diversifying Dietetics webinar 'Reframing images in healthcare'. In this session, discover more about the Reframe project, an initiative launched to increase the visual representation of marginalised groups, including Black communities, in healthcare images. In this webinar, learn more about how this project and these resources can help to reduce misdiagnoses and health inequalities.
- On 17 October 2025, stand firm and united against racism by taking part in Wear Red Day, a campaign by Show Racism the Red Card. Wear red in your workplace to show your support and to push anti-racism into the centre of conversations. Learn more about the campaign and register your involvement on Show Racism the Red Card's website.
- On 21 October 2025, join us for a Diversifying Dietetics webinar 'Food culture and care: Rethinking African and Caribbean diets in practice.' This unique webinar brings together a chef, dietitians and Dee, a kidney patient and host of 'The Diary of a Kidney Warrior Podcast.' In this session, discover more about the foods commonly enjoyed in African and Caribbean homes, uncover the history and cultural significance behind these dishes and discuss how healthcare professionals can better support patients by embracing and promoting these meals with understanding.
What does our EDI committee say?
Preetpal Kainth, Chair of the BDA's EDI Committee, says:
This year’s Black History Month theme, “Standing Firm in Power and Pride,” calls us to celebrate the strength, resilience, and achievements of Black and minority communities while recognising the power we all hold to create meaningful change. In dietetics, this theme resonates deeply as we examine how we can stand firm in our commitment to inclusive practice and take pride in building a profession that truly serves the diverse communities across the UK.
Standing firm in power means recognising that representation in healthcare is not just about fairness—it is about harnessing the collective strength that comes from diverse perspectives and experiences. When we have dietitians from underrepresented backgrounds, including Black, Asian, Mixed Heritage, and other minority communities, we unlock powerful capabilities that transform patient care. This is achieved by building authentic trust with service users who have historically faced barriers in healthcare settings as well as using cultural knowledge to enhance clinical outcomes.
The pride we take in our profession grows stronger when every practitioner can see their identity reflected and valued within our field. The pride aspect of this year’s theme calls us to take ownership of our profession’s potential for transformation. When we embrace diversity and inclusion, we don’t diminish excellence—we enhance it. Research consistently shows that diverse teams make better decisions, develop more innovative solutions, and achieve better outcomes.
The theme “Standing Firm in Power and Pride” reminds us that each of us holds the power to create change. Whether we are students, newly qualified practitioners, experienced clinicians, or senior leaders, we all have roles to play in building a more inclusive profession.
This power is most effective when we stand together, speak up, take action and persist.
This Black History Month, let us stand firm in our power to create change and take pride in building a profession worthy of the diverse communities we serve. Let us commit to using our individual and collective power to dismantle barriers, challenge inequitable systems and create opportunities for all practitioners to thrive.
The theme “Standing Firm in Power and Pride” is not just a commemoration—it is a call to action. It challenges us to examine where we hold power and how we can use it responsibly. It invites us to take pride not only in our achievements but in our ongoing commitment to justice and inclusion.
Together, we have the power to transform dietetic practice with a commitment to justice and inclusion. Together, we can build a profession that serves all communities with excellence, respect, and cultural understanding. Let us stand firm in this commitment and take pride in the positive change we create together.
Education
As a dietetic workforce, we are proud to deliver values-based care - acting with integrity, self-management and self-awareness. The BDA Curriculum 2020 outlines the expectations.
With reference to behaviours and values, the workforce must have the ability to demonstrate a critical, integrated and applied understanding of professionalism, with the ability to:
- Act with integrity in all aspects of behaviour and practice.
- Act in accordance with current legislation applicable to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
- Deliver values-based care; acting with integrity, self-management and self-awareness.
- Take an objective approach to meeting people's needs at all times, irrespective of personal beliefs and values.
- Discuss openly what constitutes professional behaviour, actively contributing to ongoing debate, sharing ideas whilst respecting the views of others.
- Act in a manner consistent with the values and priorities of the organisaton and profession.
And in terms of knowledge, the workforce must have an understanding of:
- The role of dietetics in public health and public health nutrition.
- How social organisation including inclusion, exclusion, health inequalities, social injustice, social inequality and different cultural belief systems impact on health and disease.
- Broad knowledge and understanding of the roles of dietetics within the health and social care sector, third sector and industry.
- The legislation applicable to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and the important role registrants play in challenging discrimination and ensuring EDI is respected in the workplace.
Trade union support
Whilst Black History Month is a celebration of Black communities and their contributions and achievements throughout time, there is another important message underpinning the month. Many people across the world still face racism in their day to day lives.
The BDA Trade Union represents and supports members when things are not fair or equal and campaigns to protect and enhance protections for all workers. In light of events in recent weeks, the need for support has never been more evident.
As a trade union that is part of the TUC, we wanted to share some of their useful resources with our BDA Trade Union Reps. On the TUC website, you'll find supporting materials on topics such as:
- Equality Law
- Tackling racism in the workplace
- Handling difficult conversations
As always, if you have any concerns, please contact your BDA Trade Union Rep in your workplace. If you aren't sure who it is, please email [email protected].
Become a BDA Equality Rep
Are you passionate about equality and inclusivity in your workplace and union? Become an equality rep!
We're looking for BDA members who want to help create environments at work and within their union where both dietitians and patients feel included, safe and free from discrimination.
That's why at the BDA, we are prioritising the recruitment of equality reps, who, under the upcoming employment rights bill, will now get paid time off to fulfil their equality rep role.
As a BDA Equality Rep, you can:
- Help to promote equality, diversity and inclusion in your workplace - as a BDA Equality Rep, you'll receive training that will enable you to advise on equality issues to create a fair and safe environment, for both colleagues and patients.
- Shape and influence your workplace's strategic agenda on issues, such as menopause, the gender pay gap and the ethnicity pay gap - as a BDA Equality Rep, you'll play an essential role in ensuring that your employer addresses gender, race, disability and LGBT+ related issues, which will be required under the new employment rights bill.
- Ensure that the dietetic workforce reflects the diverse communities that the profession serves - by getting involved now, you can be part of building the networks that will embed equality, diversity and inclusion in dietetics and the BDA.
If you are interested in becoming a BDA Equality Rep or would like further information, please contact [email protected].