Particularly powerful for me is her writing and thinking on masculinity, and the role men can play in making a better fairer world. Her work really captures the importance of better relationships in improving our wellbeing and tackling discrimination. If you haven’t read any of Bell Hooks work I would strongly recommend All About Love and The Will to Change, both of which challenged me to examine my behaviour and my public health practice in a different way.

Her career history and dedication to addressing the impact of racism on health through her work has been exemplary. She is also able to use powerful storytelling and allegory to convey key messages about the impacts of racism on health to a range of audiences (look up her TED talks!). I hope to have an ounce of the impact that she has had by the end of my career.

Dr Ihekweazu, is a great inspiration to me as he trained in the UK but has made a transition into global health to make significant contributions in the country of his birth, Nigeria, and now as part of the World Health Organisation. In Nigeria, he set up the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control as its founding Director that played a significant role in the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

I’ve always admired Professor Fenton, as a Black Caribbean/Jamaican doctor as there are relatively few of us in the UK, particularly at his level of seniority. As someone who has a particular interest in sexual health public health, I’ve been inspired by the work he has done in the prevention of sexually transmitted infections and HIV. He is also one of the reasons that I used to want to work at the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in the US!

He leads the UC Berkeley Othering & Belonging Institute and holds the Robert D. Haas Chancellor’s Chair in Equity and Inclusion, Professor of Law and Professor of African American Studies and Ethnic Studies at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law.

He so clearly and compassionately articulates issues around othering and belonging and how we can build bridges between groups, to increase belonging and so improve health. It’s something I was thinking about for a long time, but had little understanding of, before I came across his work.

I have been inspired by Dr Moody because of his determination and the way he channelled the adversity he faced into making a positive impact in society. His tireless efforts are thought to have influenced the Race Relations Act (1965).  Despite being denied employment for 3 years, he did not give up on being a medical doctor and set up his own practice.  Although publicly he may not be recognised as a Public Health professional, to me he is one of the first Public Health advocates, who used his medical background and the understanding from his own experience to campaign for the rights of those facing racial injustices. He challenged not just the racial discrimination in health but also some of the wider determinants like education, fair wages, housing and good community relations.

He served as the first honorary President of the Alumni Association of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine for 11 years. Professor Lucas co-authored ‘A Short Textbook of Public Health for the Tropics’ published in 1973.

I reached out at the very start of my public health journey and asked for a reference to LSHTM. Professor Lucas gave me one based on my CV, supported and encouraged me as needed, challenged the unconscious bias I was shown. Professor Lucas was one of the heroes in my adult life and career.