“I’ve always found beauty to be a healing safe space for me. I want to create a safe space for others and help move forward BLM and real social justice by launching the Dr Ateh Jewel Education Foundation.

I want to help financially support generations of black and mixed heritage students to the very best universities and arts programmes and help open invisible doors, which have been blocked. Education, representation and visibility will help drive real social change because seeing is believing. 

I want to help redefine what the default setting of power looks like. The more people in board rooms, CEO’s and in seats of power who have different perspectives and stories to tell the better it is for everyone. I want to give rocket fuel to black and mixed heritage students while they are in higher education as an investment in them and everything they will achieve for us all in the future. The days of Dickensian alms giving is over, this is about shouting and underlining that oxford and seats of power are spaces for black and mixed heritage students who in the past may have felt these were institutions not for them. Diversity is a win win for society. This is a movement not a moment, let’s sow the seeds of long lasting social change and justice.”

The Dr Ateh Jewel Foundation was founded to support excellence, ambition and potential among Black and mixed heritage British undergraduate students who need rocket fuel to take them to another level or are from low income households. 

The foundation wants to create the perfect environment for bright and brilliant students to thrive at university without the worry of financial concerns, which may shift their focus from their studies and building their network for the future. Empowering students to use these funds at their own discretion and also means the funds are flexible enough to reflect the multi-faceted concerns of university live from IT equipment, extra-curricular activities, kit, books or supporting costs associated with summer internships, house share deposits etc.

The foundation is open to all Black African, Caribbean and Mixed Heritage British undergraduate students with a priority on those from low income households. Students will apply through a short recorded video on what they would use the funds for followed by an interview, this will be presented to the board and funds will be awarded.

The Dr Ateh Jewel Education Foundation is starting by working with The University of Oxford, The London College of Fashion and Bristol University.

l would personally like to thank the brands, trustees and people who have supported this foundation. Special thanks to Carla Berry, Laura Hinton, Rav Batth, Daniel Jewel, Olay, P&G, Space NK, Cantu, Little Light PR and Aveda.

Ateh Jewel, HonDmedia. Ateh was awarded an honourary degree from Solent University in 2018.