Birmingham’s Inspirational Figures in Celebration of Black History Month

National World - LocalTV

As the nation commemorates Black History Month, Birmingham stands at the forefront of honouring the remarkable contributions and achievements of its Black community. This year, we have the privilege of conversing with some of the city's most inspirational figures, who have not only excelled in their respective fields but have also left an indelible mark on the community they serve.  Julius Rwegasira, a trailblazer in the realm of business development, epitomises the spirit of Black achievement in Birmingham. Hailing from Tanzania, he embarked on a transformative journey two decades ago when he chose the UK as his academic haven. The second city, with its rich cultural tapestry, beckoned him to its hallowed halls of learning.  Upon graduating, Rwegasira carved his professional path in the bustling heart of London, honing his skills and fostering connections in the dynamic world of business. A decade later, he returned to the Midlands, infusing his acquired expertise into the regional business landscape.  Now, as the Head of Business Development at TerraQuest Solutions, Rwegasira occupies a position of influence and responsibility, overseeing strategies that shape the company's future. His dedication, strategic acumen, and relentless pursuit of excellence have set him apart as a beacon of inspiration for the generations that follow.  Beyond his professional accomplishments, Julius Rwegasira stands as a proud testament to the power of mentorship and representation. He understands the profound impact of seeing someone who shares your background break barriers and reach pinnacles of success. With grace and humility, he embraces his role as a role model, extending a guiding hand to aspiring professionals who dare to dream beyond boundaries. In the vibrant mosaic of Birmingham's Black community, Julius Rwegasira's story resonates as a testament to the resilience, talent, and unwavering commitment to excellence that define this month of commemoration.

Transcript

00:00 So, I'm Julius Ragassira, Head of Business Development at Terraquest Solutions in Birmingham

00:09 City Centre, Broad Street. About 20 odd years ago, came here to study, went to university

00:15 in Birmingham and then in Coventry. Worked in London for about 10 years. But I always

00:22 knew I would come back to Birmingham.

00:24 Now you work at Terraquest.

00:25 That's correct, yeah.

00:26 And what does a day in the life of Julius look like?

00:29 I came to Terraquest as a Business Development Manager in 2018 and then two years ago I got

00:36 promoted to Head of Business Development. So, we've worked with Birmingham City Council

00:40 on several projects including redevelopment of Peribah for the Commonwealth Games.

00:47 So how important do you think it is to have black figures in leadership roles? Why is

00:54 it important? So, you know, people who want to go into the same field as you?

00:59 Yeah, it's hugely important and, you know, for myself it's a fantastic position to be

01:06 in. And I think it's fair to say, you know, things are changing. Things have changed significantly.

01:18 Coming here as a student and obviously going through that process of trying to develop

01:22 a career, going from university to, you know, looking for jobs, you know, going to the job

01:28 industry. Yeah, you can see that the government is doing a lot more in terms of the education

01:36 system to make it more accessible to, you know, not just, you know, black people, people

01:42 from ethnic, ethnic minority, ethnic background.

01:47 And have you ever encountered any, you know, difficult situations?

01:51 I think it's fair to acknowledge that every black person in the UK, depending on which

01:58 city they're from or which city they live in, will have very different experiences. You

02:03 know, I can say my experiences would be very different to a black person living two doors

02:10 away from me.

02:11 I mean, it's really nice to, you know, go into your workspace and see people that look

02:16 like you and you can also engage with people from other backgrounds. Is there a word of

02:21 advice that you could give for maybe younger Julian or the next generation?

02:25 The world is changing. The UK is changing. We know there's been a lot of events which

02:32 have happened in recent times. You know, the whole Black Lives Matter movement, there's

02:39 a lot of things going on in the Middle East, which sometimes can make people feel like

02:44 maybe things are not changing positively. But I think some organisations, you know,

02:50 take those into account to really understand what can we do better to, you know, to understand

02:56 our demographics and ensure that we give everybody a fair chance.

03:02 Thank you so much.

03:03 No problem at all.

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