Candidates - UK North Region

I was born and grew up in Jamaica and I have lived in the North and Midlands of the UK for the last 19 years. My grandparents who were part of the Windrush generation lived in Yorkshire from the 1950s.  My profession is an Engineer and Project Lead for a global Aerospace company, and I am also the host of a local radio talk show in Nottingham. I am very passionate about the Jamaican diaspora community in the UK. I have held leadership positions in several Jamaican community organisations over the last 15 years which has given me the experience and knowledge of the key issues that affect the Jamaican Diaspora in the UK.  I am the current Chair of the Board of the Jamaican Diaspora UK (JDUK) which is a national organisation that seeks to protect the interests of Jamaicans in the UK. Through JDUK I have been actively engaged in bringing issues that affect the Diaspora to the attention of the Jamaican Government including justice for Windrush, immigration and deportation, safety of returning residents, national diaspora policy, youth engagement, and improved Jamaica government services for the diaspora. If elected, I will serve with integrity and be a strong voice on the Global Jamaica Diaspora Council, taking your issues to the heart of the Jamaican Government and other stakeholders.

Sophia is an accomplished producer of award-winning films, selected for national and international film festivals, including the Hollywood Academy Award Qualifying Festival, Hollyshorts. Sophia has over 10 year's BBC production experience as a Regional Project manager, delivering national multi-media campaigns such as Spring Watch and Stargazing. Sophia graduated with an MA in Film & Television Production at Royal Holloway, University of London, and was selected for the prestigious British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Crew programme in the Production Management category. Sophia was consequently selected to be a BAFTA mentor for the British Film Institute’s Film Academy Alumni programme. She has produced talent development programmes including the National Film and Television School’s BAME Leadership Programme to support the next generation of BAME film and television talent. Sophia has curated and programmed films and cultural events for a range of arts institutions and currently sits on the Board of Directors for New Art Exchange Art Gallery, the largest gallery in the UK dedicated to culturally diverse contemporary visual arts. She also sits on the national board for Jamaica Disability to connect the wider diaspora through social media, national newsletter and a dedicated national policy of engagement.

My name is Gregory John Roberts, I was born in Kingston and brought up in St, Mary. My high school years were at the St. Mary High School, from which I matriculated to the University of the West Indies to study Economics and Management. During my university years, I served as President of the Guild of Students, which gave me the opportunity to make some long-lasting contribution to the welfare of generations of
students. I completed a Masters degree with the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute for Social and Economic Studies, UWI and subsequently completed a PhD at University of
Birmingham, where my work looked at African Caribbean Entrepreneurship, religion and the psychocultural underpinnings of entrepreneurship. The greater part of my working life has been in education, community and business, as teacher, lecturer, community worker, consultant and entrepreneur both in Jamaica and the UK. In
addition to my other commitments, I currently serve nationally in the UK as Chair of the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Forum of the Cooperative Party.

Keisha Adair Swaby is passionate about Jamaica and its development within the Diaspora and also in Jamaica. She came to England at the tender age of 14 and has had a very Inspirational journey. She started her working life with the GMB Union after College and then went on to 12 years in Local Government which allowed her to work with Councillors and other dignitaries around the country including Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. In 2016 she left her role in Local Government to study and achieved a First Class BSc Honours Degree in Applied Sport and Exercise Science. Her passion for her home country led her to join Jamaicans Inspired with philanthropic efforts to Jamaica for the past ten years. She is part of the Executive Team and is the North West Lead and Co-ordinator which allows her the chance to give back to Jamaica, the Diaspora and its youths on a bigger scale. In 2017 she had the opportunity to be part of the annual trip which allowed her to take part in several activities on the day of service such as visiting and contributing to Maxfield Park Orphanage and the painting of the basic school in Treasure Beach as well as attending the Diaspora Conference. After being diagnosed with Dyslexia and Dyspraxia in the last few weeks of her degree Keisha is now on a mission to create more awareness of these learning differences which are very prevalent within the black communities and often goes undiagnosed. In highlighting these issues, she is a Goodwill Ambassador for the Jamaica Dyslexia Association. She also works in the media and has her own Radio Show aimed at highlighting the positive achievements within the Diaspora and Globally.