Bristol Met Vice Principal speaks at Barnardo’s Black & Brown Minds Matter event

Natasha Williams, Vice Principal of Bristol Metropolitan Academy (BMA), recently spoke at the Black & Brown Minds Matter event hosted by Barnardo’s at the University of the West of England.

The event welcomed around 200 professionals from the education and health sectors, all united in their commitment to tackling mental health inequalities, prejudice, and discrimination affecting young people from differing communities.

A highlight of the event was the premiere of “What’s the Taboo for You?”—a powerful film created by Barnardo’s Black and Brown Minds Matter group. The film explores the cultural stigmas surrounding mental health in racialised communities and aims to break generational cycles of silence and misunderstanding.

Natasha Williams was invited to speak at the event, representing both Bristol Metropolitan Academy and the Cabot Learning Federation (CLF), recognising their involvement and support of the project.

Her presence also provided an opportunity to engage with CEOs, directors, and healthcare professionals from across the region to explore collaborative ways to strengthen partnerships between education, health, and other key services.

Natasha said: “It was an honour to be part of such a powerful and necessary event.

“The film ‘What’s the Taboo for You?’ will be an invaluable resource for schools. It opens up honest conversations about mental health and cultural stigma – conversations that are long overdue.”