Homerton College marked Black History Month with a prominent dinner, a highlight of the University year; this year in keeping with the theme of Celebrating our Sisters, the guest of honour was fashion icon and philanthropist Naomi Campbell.
The supermodel, who changed the definition of beauty and has led various campaigns to improve diversity in the fashion industry, was given a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her role as a trailblazer for Black models in the fashion industry and as a passionate activist.
The University of Cambridge has made significant advances to improve diversity with the number of UK Black students admitted to undergraduate courses doubling over the past five years, rising from 61 students in 2018 to 141 in 2022.
Lord Simon Woolley said: “Hosting the biggest Black History Month Dinner in Cambridge University once was super special, to do it again, and with guests such as Naomi Campbell is extraordinary. Having a high table packed with Black Excellence can only inspire the next generation of Black Excellence to truly believe.”
Raised in Streatham, Naomi Campbell was scouted at the age of 15 making an immediate impact in the modelling world. Over the past four decades she’s fronted the covers of more than 1000 magazines and has become one of the most recognised and in demand models of her generation. She has been featured in advertising campaigns for celebrated luxury houses and been photographed by the world’s leading photographers, all of which has made her into one of the most recognisable cultural icons of our time. Naomi, and her extraordinary career, will be the subject of a major new exhibition at the V&A in spring 2024.
Commenting on receiving the award, Naomi Campbell said: “Thank you, for affording me this honour tonight, and thank you, Lord Simon Woolley for your unwavering support of these extraordinary young men and women. Together, you are a force to be reckoned with, and there is no limit to what you can achieve. The future shines brightly, and it rests within your capable hands. Believe me, master your craft with unwavering confidence, and the world will become your runway.”
