In 2010 the Black Women in Europe™ Blog released its first Power List naming 58 women across Europe in 6 categories. This year we name 8 women the following categories: Design, Leadership, Politics, Social Activism, and Socialite.

This list, presented in alphabetical order, is intended to acknowledge powerful black women in Europe and to inspire others to reach their full potential.

• What constitutes power?

Power is defined as the ability to act or produce an effect.

• Methodology:

The list does not aim to assess rank but rather to showcase influential women who, in some cases well known and in others, are up and coming stars.

Black Women in Europe™: Power List 2013 – A List of Our Own©

Rioch Edwards-Brown, UK

Social Activism
Founder: So You Wanna Be In TV?
Addressing Youth Unemployment And Lack Of Diversity In TV
Endorsed by Secretary Of State For Business Innovation and Skills

A former TV Researcher and Media Campaigner with 16 years experience of television and media work. Expert in placing difficult news stories both in television and the national press . She has over 40 on-screen appearances as an Expert Interviewee – on Newsnight, BBC Breakfast, C4 News, Sky News, GMTV, The Wright Stuff, among many others.

So You Wanna Be In TV? are open to anyone approaching them who want to work in television but don’t know where to start and those whose career path may have changed but need to know if TV is the right move for them.

Visit: http://www.soyouwannabeintv.com

Obiocha A. Ikezogwo, UK

Leadership
2013 MILEAD (Moremi Initiative Leadership and Empowerment Development) Fellow

Citing herself as “an engineer of social justice”, Obiocha is dedicated to promoting the rights and causes of women in her community. Her passion for empowering African women led Obiocha to co-found ‘Yaaya’, a response to the social invisibility and negative stereotypes that shadow them in Europe. Established as a platform for women of African descent to share their achievements, stories, and ambitions, Yaaya aims to promote fairer and positive images of African women in European society. Her dream is for ‘Yaaya’ to inspire meaningful dialogue and action amongst organisations, governments, and civil society, on the issues of African women.

Cécile Kyenge Kashetu, Italy

Politics
Minister for Integration

Cécile Kyenge Kashetu is a Congolese-born Italian politician and ophthalmologist. She is the Minister for Integration in the current Italian government. She has founded an intercultural Association (DAWA) to promote mutual awareness, integration and cooperation between Italy and Africa, particularly in her country of birth, the Democratic Republic of Congo. She is also the spokesperson of the association “March First”, which works to promote the rights of migrants in Italy. In February 2013 she was elected member of the Chamber of Deputies for the Democratic Party in Emilia-Romagna. Two months later she was appointed Minister for Integration in the grand coalition government formed by Enrico Letta, becoming Italy’s first black cabinet minister. She supports the introduction of a Jus soli law to grant citizenship to children of immigrants born on Italian soil.

Visit: http://www.cecilekyenge.it/

Emma McQuiston, UK

Socialite
Viscountess Weymouth

The daughter of a Nigerian oil baron says she faces racism and snobbery from the upper classes unwilling to accept her. ‘There has been some snobbishness, particularly among the much older generation,’ she told society magazine Tatler.

There’s class and then there’s the racial thing. It’s a jungle and I’m going through it and discovering things as I grow up. I’m not super-easily offended but it’s a problem when someone’s making you feel different or separate because of your race. I have never had anything horrible said or happen, but it is something you sense. You can just tell with some people.

Visit: http://emmamcquiston.com/

Justina Mutale, UK

Social Activism
Founder: POSITIVE RUNWAY: Global Catwalk to Stop the Spread

Multi-award winning Founder & CEO of POSITIVE RUNWAY: Global Catwalk to Stop the Spread, a worldwide HIV/AIDS response campaign with presence in over 150 countries, spanning 6 continents spread across the globe. POSITIVE RUNWAY is registered on the United Nations Department for Social and Economic Affairs Civil Society Database, and is also a member of the ENOUGH FOOD FOR EVERYONE IF Campaign, a coalition of leading UK development organisations working to end world hunger. Ms. Mutale hold numerous other honors and titles.

Positive Runway Reel 2012 from SystemENT.com on Vimeo

Visit: http://justinamutale.com/

Ade Onilude, UK

Leadership
Founder: Women in Marketing Awards

Women InMarketing is a forum for showcasing and providing thought leadership for female marketers. The essence of WIM is to educate, inspire, engage and empower. It’s delivered by senior practioners in marketing and leadership via online and offline platforms. After six years of successful annual WIM events held in March to celebrate International Women’s day, and with a succession of successful events featuring prominent speakers from high profile brands, it seemed liked the natural next step. I was truly inspired by the amazing women I had recruited to speak, and their contribution to the success of the organisations they worked for or had created. WIM awards was my way of celebrating their success and through them, inspiring the next generation.

Visit: http://www.wimawards.co.uk/

Claire Requa, Denmark

Design
Award winning jewelry and lighting designer

Much of my work starts with observing nature, window shopping and seeing what is NOT there, and then to my computer. After 3 years of doing just decor, I went into upcycling the acrylic from the production of chandeliers and CLAIRELY upcycled jewellery was born. Accent has participated in trade shows in Denmark, Germany, England, France and New York, USA. My products have been sold in over 20 countries, Illums Bolighus, Denmark; Normann Copenhagen, Denmark; Chateau Versailles Museum shop, France; ABC Home, USA to name a few.

Visit: http://accentcph.wordpress.com

Susan Enie Muyang Tatah, Germany

The Arts: Germany
Founder & CEO
International African Festival

Susan is an Entrepreneur and Visionary and African Leisure tour promoter and events manager. Her goal is to gather and empower the African Diaspora worldwide, irrespective of their country of origin, religious background, gender and status for a short vacation, cultural bath and spiritual pilgrimage once a year at the African village in Tübingen, south of Germany. This is the fastest and largest growing African festival in Germany with more than 30,000 visitors over 4 days.

Visit: http://www.afrikafestival.net

2013 List editor:
Adrianne George

Design (logo and slide show):

Photo research*:
Adrianne George and Mark Derek McCullough
*Every attempt was made to attribute photo credits. Please email contact@blackwomenineurope.com with additional photo credits.