The Black Curriculum appoints Hon. Stuart Lawrence as their latest patron
It’s an honour to announce that the Honourable Stuart Lawrence will be joining us as a patron of The Black Curriculum! With over 20 years of experience in specialist youth engagement, we will be working with Stuart to build on our work with young people and schools.
Stuart is the older brother of Stephen Lawrence, who was murdered in a racially motivated attack in South-East London in 1993. His family's tireless campaign for justice led to cultural shifts and changes in attitudes towards racism within British society, the law and Metropolitan Police.
After Stephen’s death, Stuart stayed in education and followed a creative path which focused on graphic design, taking a keen interest in typographical design. Upon completing a course at the London College of Printing, he attended Northampton University to read Graphic Communication. Stuart worked with the Home Office and HMP Belmarsh before going on to become a teacher, in which his teaching career spanned over 15 years, working with a secondary school based in South-West London. Stuart recently left this role to take on developing change within the education system and society as a whole. Whilst working with various establishments which help aid change, rehabilitation and impart knowledge to our young people, Stuart has also been part of local communities for the last 20 years as a dedicated Football Coach and a football scout.
Stuart has worked with the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust to help promote Stephen Lawrence Day (22nd April) and currently works as a motivational speaker. His Mother, Doreen Lawrence was elevated to the peerage as Baroness on 6th September 2013 and is formally known as Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon, in the Commonwealth Realm of Jamaica. Due to her not being married, the rights that would be bestowed on her husband were passed on to her son, Stuart, thus making his full title ‘The Honourable Stuart Andrew Lawrence’. Alongside and in honour of this, he has dedicated himself full time to fighting for the cause, named ‘This is not My Son’s Fight’. Since Stuart left the teaching profession full time, he has spent his time working with schools, presenting assemblies, working with youth groups/youth centres and sharing his story. His main goal is to equip young people with the mindset to believe and achieve what they want in life no matter the challenges many of them will unfortunately face due to social and economic disadvantages, ethnicity, religion, childhood trauma and so on. Through knowledge, self-worth, determination and unity, Stuart believes our young people of today have the power to push for change within our society.
Stuart is now focusing on writing a number of books, with the first published in April 2021, titled ‘Silence Is Not An Option’. In 2021 he project managed Stephen Lawrence Day at the Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation (the only official charity in Stephen Lawrence’s name) which was setup in 2020 by Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon OBE.
We are looking forward to working with Stuart to continue our mission of empowering young people, and transforming the educational landscape.
Photo credit: Simon Fredericks