SOCAL Gala Recap
Gala enjoyers on the red carpet
The Society of Caribbean Lawyers’ Inaugural Gala took place at Lincoln’s Inn on Monday November 4th 2024. It was a remarkable celebration of Caribbean excellence, featuring fine dining, awards, and vibrant entertainment. We are deeply grateful to everyone who joined us in making this milestone event so special!
Guests were greeted with glasses of bubbly and the melodic steel pan sounds of Play it on Pan, which created the perfect atmosphere to transport our minds to a much sunnier climate.
When we all later moved upstairs into the Old Hall the island vibes continued with DJ Levels playing classic tunes such as Bob Marley’s ‘Stir it Up’, which was a surreal contrast to the stately old English decor and portraits along the walls. As our phenomenal key note speaker Professor Patrick Vernon OBE said humorously during his introduction: “there was Studio One playing and there was hot pepper sauce on the tables, so we’ve arrived haven’t we?” We certainly created a welcoming space for us to represent our Caribbean culture!
After a tasty 3-course meal we heard welcome remarks from Lincoln's Inn Treasurer, the Rt Hon Lord Briggs of Westbourne, who spoke briefly about the strong ties between the Inn and its members who practice in the Caribbean and those of Caribbean heritage working in the United Kingdom. Following that Patrick – who campaigned and petitioned for there to be an amnesty for the Windrush generation and mental health support for victims of the Windrush Scandal – spoke about the importance of mental health in the context of the Windrush generation. He pointed out that there are now about 3 ½ or 4 generations of descendants of this group living in the UK, and closed his speech with an inspiring ‘call and response’ poem, in which he read out the various contributions that this community has made to British society over the years. He stated, for example: “we got elected, campaigned, lobbied, marched, protested and agitated for our rights”, “we brought fashion and style, barbershops and hot combs” and “we brought blues parties and sound systems” with attendees responding in unison during each break: “our parents did”. It was a very powerful and inspiring reminder of our ancestors’ legacy and the strong shoulders upon which we stand. As Maya Angelou is often quoted: “I come as one, but I stand as 10,000.”
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Patrick later expressed that the poem was taken from a book that he contributed to, titled “Still Breathing: 100 Black Voices on Racism – 100 Ways to Change the Narrative” by Suzanne Packer and Suzette Llewellyn. Patrick is also an author himself, and his latest book (which he kindly donated a signed copy of as a gala raffle prize) is titled “Black Grief and Healing: Why We Need to Talk About Health Inequality, Trauma and Loss.” He said this topic is important because “there is a significant number of black people overrepresented in the mental health system and not getting the types of services they need so they can move on with their lives.” Patrick has also highlighted the works of many members of the British Caribbean as well as the broader black British community in his book “100 Great Black Britons”, and it is thanks to his successful campaigning that we have a national Windrush Day every year on June 22nd.
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As the night went on our fantastic MCs Ivana Javis and Reginald Harper led us into the raffle prize giveaway segment and an award presentation for individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the Caribbean legal community in the UK. The beautifully decorated dinner tables were then pushed to the side, making way for many of us to jump up and wave, wine and dance the night away like we were at carnival!
Gala enjoyers at their seats
Special Acknowledgements:
· We are delighted to share that we raised £2,572 to support communities affected by Hurricane Beryl!
· A huge thank you to our wonderful event sponsors: Harneys, Hogan Lovells, and The Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn.
· We are thrilled to recognise and congratulate our award winners for their outstanding contributions:
o Law Student of the Year: La’Shaunna Williams
o Solicitor of the Year: Jason Raeburn
o Barrister of the Year: Mikhail Charles
o Legal Initiative of the Year: Linklaters (for their Caribbean Legal Internship)
o Lifetime Achievement Award: Courtenay Griffiths
· Congratulations to all our raffle draw winners, who took home prizes including El Dorado Rum, champagne, Caribbean literature, and hampers filled with Caribbean treats. Many thanks to our generous raffle sponsors Ottolenghi, LexisNexis, Patrick Vernon OBE, Montegos, El Dorado Rums and Pure Grenada, for contributing these fantastic prizes.
· A special thank you to Mount Cinnamon Beach Resort Grenada for donating the 5 night stay auction prize, and congratulations to Chanez Lowe, who placed the highest bid of the evening and won the exclusive 5-night luxury stay for 2 in Grenada!
· Many thanks to our fantastic entertainers: DJ Levels and Play it on Pan for creating the perfect atmosphere, and to our outstanding keynote speaker Patrick Vernon.
· To read more about the significance of the gala, our lovely sponsors and our mission, read our inaugural gala brochure here.
· Publications by Professor Patrick Vernon OBE:
o Visit This is Book Love and enter the following promo code to receive a 20% discount on Patrick Vernon's books: BookloveCaribbeanLaw
At the point of purchase add a note specifying what inscription you would like written in the book and Patrick will sign it before it’s posted.
o Visit Jessica Kingsley Publishers and enter the following promo code to receive a 20% discount on Patrick Vernon's latest book "Black Grief and Healing: Why We Need to Talk About Health Inequality, Trauma and Loss": %BGYAN20
o You may be interested in reviewing the following article titled "The ties that bind: Understanding the mental health consequences of the Windrush Scandal and hostile immigration policies on survivors in the UK"
SOCAL Steering Committee 2024
On behalf of the SOCAL Steering Committee, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to the SOCAL Gala Sub-Committee, including our hosts for the evening, and to our lovely Founder & Chair Akima Paul Lambert, for their dedication and hard work in making this event such a tremendous success!
Stay tuned for an email with a link to a gala photo gallery that will be available to view on our website!
