Meet Omar Bogle, Chair of the Equality Movement

Since its inception, Black History Month has provided an annual opportunity to honour the contributions of Black people to society and culture, both here in the UK and further afield. This year, we hope to celebrate exactly that, just on somewhat of a more local scale – right here at Liberty. Join us as we shine a spotlight on just some of the Black talent leading a new generation of Liberty’s artistic movement.

I wear many hats here at Liberty, as I’m sure a lot of us do. I’m an IT System Administrator / Team Leader and the Chair of the Equality Movement. I’ve always worked in IT but it wasn’t my chosen path as I wanted to be an architect. I was introduced to the IT industry by a total stranger who I got talking to while paying for some groceries. I’ve worked in IT in an array of different sectors including Travel, Finance, Arts and now Retail sectors. I must say I’ve enjoyed working in Retail the most.

Seeing people smile. Unfortunately, in my industry, people typically only come to you when they have a problem. Being able to resolve their issues and see a smile on their faces keeps me motivated.

My proudest moment was when I took on the role as the Chair of the Equality Movement.

The people at Liberty make Liberty, Liberty. We have a fantastic community who are very committed to the organisation and take pride in their duties. You see the smiles on peoples faces all day long which becomes very infectious.

My inspiration comes from listening to people’s stories of how they have made a difference for the betterment of their families, communities and countries; how they became a rose that grew from a crack in the concrete. I’m at my most creative when I’m watching nature, especially at dawn when everything is waking up. This gives me a sense of freedom and peace and this is also the time when I get the chance to explore ideas.

I would advise anyone who wants to get into my area of work to firstly, make sure you have a passion for IT. It’s a very dynamic and fast-moving environment which involves long hours at times but is overall very rewarding. You will also have to be able to exercise patience and the commitment to helping people.

My dream here at Liberty and beyond is to make a difference, a lasting difference that will enrich people’s lives. I also still want to be an architect when I grow up.

Black History Month is a celebration of black excellence past and present, motivation to always strive for the greatness that lies beyond our current circumstances, a sense of community, the task to create better paths for our children, and the constant reminder that our history as people, especially from the Caribbean, did not start with the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.

*Views expressed are the participant’s own