Karen Chouhan
Karen was selected from 1600 applicants by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable
Trust [JRCT], in May 2005, to be one of seven ‘visionaries' with ideas to change
the world. Her ‘vision’ is to build a UK community led alliance capable of shaping
race related policy and challenging and reframing the current problematising and
stigmatising discourse for race relations through an economic analysis.
Equanomics UK is the name of the project now developing.
She was born in Pakistan and grew up in London, England before going to
Leicester in 1975 where she studied philosophy. After completing her masters
degree in Race and Community Studies in Bradford, Karen contributed to an era
of heightened Black British political activity as a founding member of the Black
members’ organisation of the National and Local Government Officers [NALGO]
know today as UNISON. Karen was also a founder member of the National Black
Caucus and the 1990 Trust, where she became the Chief Executive Officer in
2000. The 1990 Trust is particularly concerned with supporting the activity of
Black networks which work to ensure the delivery of Race Equality.
She started work as a volunteer at the then Leicester Community Relations
Council and then as a youth worker in Belgrave, Leicester. Her work with Asian
women and girls has developed into the Peepul Centre Leicester – a multi million
pound social enterprise - of which she was chair until January 2008.
Karen was a senior Lecturer at Leicester’s De Montfort University for 12 years
where she became the programme leader for the MA in Community Education.
She was particularly involved in developing partnerships for change between
academia and grassroots activism in the UK’s Black communities.
In 2006 she also received a recognition award from the Islamic Human rights
Foundation for battling Islamophobia. She received a special commendation in
the finals of the Women of Achievement awards organised by Leicester Chamber
of Commerce. In 2008 she was honoured with a ‘Woman Warrior – Trailblazer
Award’ from the Reverend Jesse Jackson Rainbow Push New York Summit.
She attended the Barack Obama victory celebrations in Grant Park November
2008 as the Reverend Jackson’s Guest and the inauguration in Washington in
January 2009 and has organised two tours of the UK with the Reverend Jackson
for Equanomics UK.
Aaqil Ahmed
Aaqil Ahmed is Head of Religion and Ethics and Commissioning Editor for TV
and is part of the BBC Knowledge Commissioning team.
Aaqil joined the BBC from Channel 4 where for more than six years he was
Commissioning Editor for Religion and Head of Multicultural Programming.
Commissions include many award-winning and high-profile projects such as
Saving Africa's Witch Children, The Qur'an, Inside the Mind of a Suicide Bomber,
and Christianity: A History and the religion strand Revelations.
From 2000 to 2003 Aaqil was employed by the BBC's Religion and Ethics
department as Deputy Editor of Documentaries, where he worked on a number
of projects from Trouble up North, Headhunting the Homeless, Richard Gere on
Buddhism to the acclaimed current affairs and religion strand Everyman.
Previously Aaqil worked for the BBC as a Director on Here and Now. He also
produced and directed The Crime Squad (fronted by Sue Lawley) as well as
numerous one-off documentaries for BBC One such as Britain on the Fiddle and
Behind the Bike Sheds. In addition he produced news event specials such as the
funeral of Diana Princess of Wales and the Turkish earthquake.
Aaqil began his career at the BBC in 1992 working primarily for BBC Birmingham
on programmes such as Panorama, Network East and Bollywood or Bust.
Mumtaz Bashir
Mumtaz is head of the Pre Volunteer Programme for 2012 –Olympic Games and
Paralympic Games.
Mumtaz is currently seconded from the Learning & Skills Council to the London
Development Agency as Head of the Pre Volunteer Programme for the London
Olympics. Mumtaz has been invited by LDA to support the development of a
similar programme that she created for The XVII Commonwealth Games in
Manchester in 2002.
Reena Banks (Presenter and Events Manager)
Her work has included managing and hosting a variety of key events, from talent
shows to corporate award shows. She has been commissioned to produce short
films highlighting the networks in the heart of the community. Regular invitations
to appear on local television and radio stations, including BBC Radio, Channel M,
Bolton Live, Bolton FM to name a few.
Having successfully gained a graduate position through Pareto Law, Reena
managed the Channel Partners at Cable & Wireless for five years. The Best
Achievement Award in 2003/2004 highlighted her proven track record of
achieving objectives.
Recently her drive, determination and experience have secured her the position
of the first woman President of a member organisation of The Bolton Hindu
Forum.
Reena is available for presenting and awards hosting.