British Canoeing: Celebrating Black History Month

October marks the annual celebration of Black History Month, and as part of our We Paddle Together commitments to celebrate role models from under-represented groups, and listen to diverse, intersectional voices, we are pleased to share the insights and stories of Black paddlers from across the paddling community. Thanks go to those who have shared their insights and experiences with us.

John McCalla-Leacy wears many hats; he is Global & UK Head of Environment Social & Governance (ESG) at KPMG, a former GB canoe slalom athlete, and Chair of British Canoeing’s new Inclusion Advisory Group after being appointed in 2021, and we’re delighted John has shared his reflections for this year’s Black History Month with us.

 

John McCalla-Leacy and Johny Akinyemi at the London 2012 Olympics

 

This is John's story

What does Black History Month represent for you?

Black History Month is about recognising and celebrating the achievements and outstanding contributions that people of African and African-Caribbean descent have made to our society here in the UK and across the world over many generations. I’m really proud of the fact there is a long history of black people living in the UK who have transformed business, law, healthcare, education, technology, creative arts, sport and much more. I’m incredibly proud to be a husband, and father to two beautiful children.
 
I’m proud to be the first elected Black Board member in our firms’ 150-year history, indeed, the only black person to serve on the main board of any of the BIG 4 accounting firms here in the UK. I certainly hope that I will be the first of many, and I’m proud to be the Global & UK Head of Environment Social & Governance (ESG) at KPMG, with responsibility for driving social and environmental transformation toward more sustainable and purpose-led businesses.
 
I’m proud to be the co-sponsor of our African and Caribbean Network, to be part of the team that has recently launched our Cross Company Black Allyship Programme. I am also a member of the BLG (Business Leadership Group) which provides advice to the government on policies impacting persons with disability in the workplace and to have recently joined the International Business & Diplomatic Exchange’s Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Group.

Can you tell us a bit more about your experiences as a Black paddler? What have your highlights been?

My long history with, and affinity to Canoe Slalom gives me much to be proud of. This includes winning my first U16 international junior competition aged 14, and winning the London Youth Games pool slalom over 3 consecutive years en-route to joining the British Team as a junior athlete and competing in the Junior Pre-World Championships. I’m incredibly proud of the many years that I subsequently spent coaching talented junior athletes, including Johnny Akinyemi in the London Olympics.

I am grateful that this sport has given me the opportunity to meet so many amazing people and I am proud of the fact that in recent months I have been able to work with my fellow Inclusion Advisory Group members and British Canoeing to input into and enhance the overall strategy and plans in place to make British Canoeing more diverse, inclusive and open to all.

What would you like to share with people wanting to make paddling more inclusive and welcoming of Black communities?

Promote the role models you know in your paddling circles, and use opportunities such as key Black heritage calendar dates, such as Black History Month, or Mary Seacole and Martin Luther King Day to help drive this forward. Actively seek out and work with schools with a higher proportion of Black and other ethnically diverse pupil groups, so you can offer experiences, sporting trials and opportunities to see local competitions and events to those who might not have considered those opportunities before – these can be in rivers and in swimming pools.

 

John McCalla-Leacy competing

 

Who have your role models been, either in paddling or across sports?

In paddling, that’s easy – Richard Fox and his wife, Miriam Fox-Jerusalmi were both fantastic in the boat and amazing ambassadors for the sport outside of the boat. 

Charles Ignatius Sancho a British composer, actor, and writer – born in 1729 is known to have been eligible and voted in an 18th-century general election. If I go further back, black people worked for Henry VII and Henry VIII as musicians coming to London when trade lines began to open between London and West Africa in 1593. Going further back - Records show that black people have lived in Britain in small numbers in the 12th century – and during the 3^rd century Black Roman soldiers formed part of the guard at Hadrian's Wall.

Artist, James Baldwin wrote, “People are trapped in history and history is trapped in them” and novelist Michael Crichton once commented that “If you don’t know history, then you don’t know anything. You are a leaf that doesn’t know it is part of a tree”

Well, I’m grateful that I’m not a single leaf, and I am proud to be connected to a tree routed, in proud traditions, in excellence and in a long, long history in this country.

Thank you to John for sharing his story with us.