Published 11 October 2021 3 min read
England
Black, England & Proud to return
2021 will see more from the popular feature series which kicked-off in 2020
We're delighted to have partnered with Refresh Productions for a second series of Black, England & Proud.
Launching on Tuesday ahead of England's 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Hungary, the series will once again celebrate Black culture, diverse communities and the impact those featured have had on our England teams.
Refresh was founded by broadcaster and film-maker Leon Mann MBE, who is leading the production of Black, England & Proud with series producer Drew Christie, in collaboration with the FA's in-house content team.
Speaking about the second series, Mann said: "It's a huge honour to have the opportunity to help tell the stories of the incredible Black people within the England football family.
"This collaboration made a big impact through series one and we look forward to sharing more stories that educate, inspire and inform."
England stars Raheem Sterling, Marcus Rashford and Nikita Parris all featured in the first series, discussing their personal relationships with the national team and their key influences growing up.
While the first series focused on past and present members of our Three Lions and Lionesses, the new season will begin with a different viewpoint, as England fan Billy Grant joins us for an in-depth conversation about his experiences following the national team.
The release of Black, England & Proud follows on from the launch of the FA's new equality, diversity and inclusion strategy last week, in which the FA commits to Lead the Change, Be the Change and Inspire the Change and make football A Game For All.
October also sees our work with the Black Collective of Media in Sport (BCOMS) continue, offering opportunities to aspiring content creators from under-represented backgrounds, while we will also celebrate Black pioneers who have played a key role in the history of our England national teams, the Emirates FA Cup and the Barclays FA Women's Super League.
The new series of Black, England & Proud kicks off during Black History Month, but will continue throughout 2021 as we tell the stories of those with a deep connection to our England national teams.
Edleen John, the FA's international relations, corporate affairs and co-partner for equality, diversity and inclusion director said: “We were delighted with how well the first series of Black, England & Proud was received, and the second series will see us explore the powerful stories of our fans, as well as players and coaches from across our national development teams.
“Black History Month is an opportunity to celebrate the contribution, achievements and impact of Black people and those from historically underrepresented ethnic communities across the UK, which means it is the right time to launch this new series. We’re committed to ensuring our game is truly inclusive, and it’s important for us to acknowledge and understand the journey that people have been on in order to strive towards equality across our game.”
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