This blog is inspired by a thread initiated by @msybibi (Yamina Bibi) on X, formerly known as Twitter, stemming from her participation in the @ChilternTSH #REND event — the Racial Equity Network Dinner. This remarkable event highlighted leadership narratives from individuals who, at first glance, may not have been perceived as leaders. The expressions of appreciation, love, and respect in tweets from school leaders and supporters who attended underscored the inspiration drawn from the journeys of those who had overcome challenges.
What defines a leader's appearance? Precisely. There is no set formula, no prerequisite, no "ideal." However, the representation of Global Majority leaders in schools remains unacceptably low.
When young people — particularly those from Global Majority backgrounds — do not see themselves reflected in the leadership of their schools, something important is communicated. Not in words, but in structure. The message is: leadership looks like this, and this does not include you.
Role models matter. Not because individuals are responsible for representing their entire community, but because visibility shifts what is imaginable.
When I was building my career in education, I can count on one hand the number of senior leaders who looked like me. That is not ancient history. That is recent. And the data suggests it has not changed as much as we might hope.
Representation alone is not enough. A single person of colour in a leadership position does not transform a system. But the absence of representation is never just an optics problem — it is a structural one. It tells us something about who is being developed, who is being sponsored, whose potential is being noticed and invested in.
The REND event — and Yamina's thread — reminded me why these conversations matter. Not because they are comfortable. Not because they produce quick answers. But because they keep visible something we are at risk of treating as solved when it is not.
We need more leaders who look like the communities they serve. We need organisations that do the structural work to make that possible. And we need spaces — like REND — where those leaders can find each other, learn from each other, and be seen.
