Effect UK launched during South Asian Heritage celebration at Guildhall in Cambridge
Julia Latif, who runs Cambridge-based JL Business Support, was at the Guildhall South Asian Heritage Month celebration to showcase her new networking venture, Effect UK.
The celebration, which runs from 18 July to 17 August each year, featured activities designed to honour and explore the rich cultural heritage that connects the UK with South Asia. This year’s theme, ‘Free To Be Me’, illustrated “the celebration of individuality and community, encouraging everyone to embrace their unique identity while coming together to celebrate our shared heritage”.
Performers included dancers and musicians, henna designs, an open mic session and snacks and refreshments.
For Julia, the event was the launchpad for Effect UK.
“As well as launching Effect UK,” Julia says, “I helped co-organise the event – with Shauna Kelly [Allia’s marketing assistant] and Anusha from Monkey Shanti [the singing group at the event]. There was quite a build-up to the occasion, especially with the riots. Allia issued a statement the day before the event to ensure that the people attending felt safe.
“I also gave a speech at the start of the event, highlighting my thoughts on South Asian Heritage Month and the Free To Be Me theme. I said that my grandparents and parents had worked hard to make the UK – and especially Cambridge – our home so my siblings and I could flourish here.
“I acknowledged that while I could live a free life, there are others who don’t have this luxury and we need to engage with them to build a peaceful and inclusive society.
“I introduced the mayor (Baiju Thittala) too, which was an honour.”
The new mayor made an emotive speech invoking Martin Luther King’s non-violent response to racism.
Effect UK is a networking group helping business women from ethnic minorities and diverse nationalities.
Julia was previously business and finance manager at communications company Sookio, and had previously started a company called Our House of Spice with her sister Nadia in 2012. In 2017, they moved to Scotland, where she had family.
“During this time, I joined the board of the Highland Business Women as their diversity and inclusion champion, and volunteered as a director for the Fort Augustus Community Company. I then became an ambassador for Women’s Enterprise Scotland. One of my assignments was speaking as part of a cross-party group at the Scottish Parliament. My topic was the cost of living crisis and its detrimental effects on ethnic minorities.
“Having been in business for over 10 years, I was starkly aware of the lack of diversity and inclusion, not only between genders, but also ethnic minorities too.”
She says that she started Effect UK because “some women feel anxious about attending networking events as they don’t feel comfortable public speaking, or feel other people are trying to sell to them”.
The group’s first meet-up is at NatWest bank in the city centre on 3 October.
Julia adds: “The idea with the drop-in networking session is that people can stay for 10 minutes, or an hour, as long as they feel comfortable. There will be coffee as well as copious amounts of tea, I’m a big tea drinker!”
Martin Clark, CEO of Allia, says: “Allia was delighted to host an amazing showcase of South Asian cultural groups as part of our role engaging communities for positive change and encouraging the use of social enterprise as a sustainable model for impact.
“It was so valuable given the national backdrop to show that we are stronger together when building bridges, not putting up barriers. The music, dancing and speeches were deeply moving and inspired all present to keep working for the common good – especially over a cup of chai and a bhaji!”
Book in at shorturl.at/5OQvl.
