Former Bristol Lord Mayor Cleo Lake is to tell all about her life as an activist, artist and actress, as well as her history-making role at the helm of the city.
In 2018, Councillor Lake became the first black female Lord Mayor in 800 years, and only one of 11 women to hold the position in that time.
The Green councillor for Cotham was brought up in Easton and has spent 11 years as dance troupe leader of the Malcolm X Elders Forum.
Describing herself as "a proud Bristolian of Scottish and African-Caribbean heritage," in her rousing opening address she declared that her main aims as Lord Mayor were “inclusion” and “representation” as the first citizen of the city.
Her focus was community outreach through art and events, to connect the communities with the role of Lord Mayor and to inspire people to unite "out of many to become one Bristol."
She is due to reflect on her year as Lord Mayor on Ujima Radio with Roger Griffith tomorrow (Thursday) at 11am.
A description of the show reads: "Concerned about education on Bristol’s role in the horrific Transatlantic Slave trade, she is advocating for a centre of African excellence in Bristol. In addition, she in the process of setting up a foundation for youth opportunities in West Africa. Cleo has also worked hard to bring change and her term certainly achieved this!"
During her term in office, she replaced a portrait of a man who help set up the Transatlantic Slave Trade, which hung in the Lord Mayor's office, with a painting of a black woman.
At the time, she said: "Having it on the parlour wall sent mixed messages about the city council’s values today, which are not the same as what they might have been centuries ago in Colston’s time.”
Councillor Lake has now returned to her role as councillor for the Cotham Ward, which she won as a Green candidate in 2016, but continues to carry out certain Lord Mayoral duties as well.
Roger Griffith, of Ujima, said: "We look forward to having her reflect on her life, career, future and her musical choices."
Former Lord Mayor Cleo Lake will be appearing Bristol’s Big Conversation with Roger Griffith at 11am on Thursday, July 11. The show runs from 10am to noon every Thursday and you can tune in here .
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