Entertainment
One Direction star and Alesha Dixon make shortlist for prestigious award-Josie Copson-Entertainment – Metro
They may want to start rehearsing their acceptance speeches.
Alesha Dixon is up for a gong (Picture: Joseph Okpako/WireImage)
TV presenter Alesha Dixon, and One Direction star Zayn Malik, have been revealed as nominees for the upcoming Ethnicity Awards.
Hosted in collaboration with HSBC UK, the annual extravaganza is set to honour the most influential Black, Asian and Ethnic Minorities in the UK with a prestigious ceremony, and today, they have released the names of those in with a chance of taking home an award.
Also up for an accolade to celebrate their achievements and work to promote diversity and inclusion, are football legend Rio Ferdinand, and Love Island host Maya Jama. The Ethnicity Awards will certainly be a star-studded affair!
Zayn, 31, has been shortlisted alongside other musicians including Raye, Tinie Tempah and legendary soul divas Gabrielle and Emeli Sande, in the Music Artist category.
For the Celebrity Ally Award, Britain’s Got Talent judge Alesha, 45, has been selected as a nominee alongside AJ Odudu, Ncuti Gatwa, and Simone Ashley.
TV presenters Maya, 29, Alison Hammond, Charlene White and Asad Ahmad have been recognised in the Broadcaster or Journalist of the Year category while the former editor of British Vogue, Edward Enniful, is nominated for his work in championing causes to promote equality.
Zayn is on the shortlist (Picture: Steve Granitz/WireImage)
Could Alison be a winner? (Picture: Lia Toby/Getty Images)
Rio, 45, who alongside a major TV career leads a major social mobility charity providing opportunities for young people from racially diverse backgrounds, is nominated for a major Sports Personality award alongside fellow sports stars Denise Lewis and Aston Villa footballer Tyrone Mings.
The winners of their awards will be decided by the public, who can vote online here. Meanwhile, the winners in the business categories will be chosen by a panel of esteemed judges.
They will need to start rehearsing their acceptance speeches soon, just in case, as the ceremony takes place on October 31 in London.
Rio has a nod (Picture: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
Founder of the Ethnicity Awards, Sarah Garrett MBE, said: ‘I’m delighted that the 2024 Ethnicity Awards are once again supported by HSBC UK as headline partner, and that the awards continue to highlight the people and organisations who are continuing to do good – both publicly and privately – for Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority communities and organisations across the UK.
‘All the individuals and organisations are very deserving of their place on the shortlist. The awards will be a celebration of their achievements and it is going to be another fantastic event.’
The Ethnicity Awards began in 2018, with the purpose of celebrating individuals and organisations that support Black, Asian and diverse Ethnic communities. Music superstar Dionne Warwick, Little Mix singer Leigh Anne Pinnock, Manchester United footballer and social mobility campaigner Marcus Rashford, newsreader Moira Stuart and Labour MP Diane Abbot, are amongst the impressive list of previous winners.
‘The Ethnicity Awards engages those who ensure equality, opportunity and fair treatment for all, regardless of ethnic background. The awards bring together communities, businesses and individuals to support a diverse Britain where everyone feels they can belong,’ the organisers explained.
Maya could be picking up an award (Picture: Mike Marsland/WireImage)
Garrett MBE originally set up the awards ceremony, after seeing her mother treated as a ‘second-class citizen’.
‘Seeing the adverse reactions of people towards her compounded in me the general feeling of not belonging. Something I longed for, and that would have really mattered to me, was to have some positive representation. I wanted to see people, like members of my family, be celebrated,’ she explained to Metro.co.uk.
‘I knew I needed to help create this change.
‘So, seven years ago, I decided it was time to do something positive – to unite people rather than divide – in the hope that I could dissipate some of the ignorance and negative stereotyping that exists. The Ethnicity Awards was launched as part of my wider initiative.’
The 2023 Ethnicity Awards will announce its winners on October 31
2024 Ethnicity Award nominees
Broadcaster, Journalist Or Host
Alex Scott
Alison Hammond
Asad Ahmad
Charlene White
David Olusoga
Edward Enninful
Marvin Humes
Maya Jama
Nadia Ali
Zeze Millz
Music Artist
Elmiene
Emeli Sande
Gabrielle
Jay Sean
Naughty Boy
Raye
Rina Sawayama
Saloni
Tinie Tempah
Zayn
Sports Personality
Alice Dearing
Denise Lewis
Karenjeet Kaur Bains
Katerina Johnson-Thompson
Kobbie Mainoo
Mohamed Elshorbagy
Rehan Ahmed
Rio Ferdinand
Son Heung-Min
Tyrone Mings
Online Influencer
Adeola Patronne
Anchal Seda
Dr Karan Raj
Indiyah Polack
Mason Blake
Nella Rose
Priya Sohanpal
Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
Rahi Chadda
The Kabs Family
Celebrity Ally
AJ Odudu
Alesha Dixon
Beverly Knight
Fleur East
Jermaine Jenas
Mawaan Rizwan
Ncuti Gatwa
Shaznay Lewis
Simone Ashley
Tony Bellew
Brand And/Or Marketing Campaign
Dove
English Football League
Fenty Beauty
Gymshark
Home Is Where The Elephant Atta Is
M&C Saatchi Group
NYX Cosmetics
The Premier League
Self Glow
Skims
Outstanding Contribution To Communities
Halima Begum – Oxfam
Bayo Adelaja – Do It Now Now
Funke Abimbola Mbe – Austen Bronte Consultancy
Jehangir Malik Obe – Unicef South Asia
Laila El Metoui – Proud In Education
Lydia Amoah – The Black Pound Report
Natalie & Naomi Evans – Everyday Racism
Sadique Maskeen – Umbrella Faith
Samantha Ming – Barts Health NHS Trust
Tanya Compas – Exist Loudly
Charity Or Community Initiative
Ashiana
Asian People’s Disability Alliance
Besea.N
Black Minds Matter UK
Chinese Community Centre
Damilola Taylor Trust
Jami UK
Purple Rain Collective
The Diversity Trust
The Land Collective
Business Categories
Champion Ally
Emma Howard – Tesco
Jayne Opperman – Lloyds Banking Group
Karen Taylor – Amazon
Lisa Hulbert – Cadent
Mark Chapman – Nationwide Building Society
Mat Moakes – OVO
Matthew Hamilton-James – Motability Operations
Nick Howe – Natwest
Zealah Brindley – KPMG
Exceptional Inclusion
Amisha Wilde – Network Rail
Arfan Bhatti – King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Cordelia Johnney – Stonewater
Helen Choudhury – The Music Publishers Association (The MPA)
Iman Abdi – Sodexo
Jacquline Alcindor – Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM)
Margaret Zimunhu – Investec Bank
Samantha Owo – Lloyds Banking Group
Tara Forde – Experian
Tricia Lucas-Clarke – GSK
Future Leader
Adam Malik – Avanade
Adnan Anwar – JLL
Alicia George – Salesforce UK Limited
Liam Obuobie – Arup
Niki Lam – Takeda UK Ltd.
Olivia Grant – Reed Smith LLP
Ralph Aidoo – Google
Ricca -Renee Ramsay-Nicol – Computacenter
Rudhira Sambrey – Arcadis UK
Sana Butt – DLA Piper
Inspirational Leader
Apay Obang-Oyway – Microsoft
Donna Herdsman – Korn Ferry
Frama Aboh – Bank Of New York (BNY)
Geoffrey Williams – Burberry
Josh Graham – Deloitte
Naomi Sesay – Channel 4
Nimesh Joshi – ITV News West Country
Priya Godse – Nomura International PLC.
Raghu Narula – Natwest Group
Roland Carandang – Protiviti
Network Group
Being UK – Warner Bros. Discovery
Black Diversity Council – Linklaters
Black Employee Network – Amazon
Black Professionals Resource Group – Barclays
Computacenter’s Ethnic Diversity Employee Impact Group – Computacenter
Cultural Awareness Network Emea – UBS
Fusion Employee Network Group – Macquarie Group
Hispanic/Latino Organisation for Leadership & Advancement (HOLA) – Johnson Matthey
Moody’s UK Multicultural BRG – Moody’s
ONE Employee Resource Group – National Grid
Positively Ethnic Network (PEN) – BP
Race, Ethnicity And Cultural Heritage Business Resource Group – Boots UK, No7 Beauty Company And Boots Opticians
Race, Religion And Cultural Heritage Network – Whitbread
REACH (Race Ethnicity And Cultural Heritage) – Macfarlanes LLP
The REAHL Network (Race & Ethnicity At Hogan Lovells) – Hogan Lovells LLP
Outstanding Employer
Bank of Ireland
BP
HSBC UK
Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM)
Linklaters
Lloyds Banking Group
Network Rail
Stonewater
Tesco
Whitbread
Social Impact
Black Britain Unspoken – Warner Bros. Discovery
Creative Access – Creative Access
Cross Company Allyship Programme (CCAP) – KPMG
Early Careers – FT
HSBC And Merky Books – HSBC UK
The Insurance Cultural Awareness Network – iCAN
Moody’s Partnership With Tent Refugees – Moody’s
Sadique Maskeen – Umbrella Faith
What’s The Score – Experian
Workplace Hero
Aisha Addison – Essencemediacom
Annmarie Holligan – BT Group
Ibrahim Mohammed – Farrer & Co LLP
Marilina Bachmann – Jacobs
Mehareen Latif – Coutts
Rong Su – JLR (Jaguar Land Rover)
Shane Newton – BAE Systems – Maritime Services
Ugo Eboh – Virgin Money
Victoria Einarsen – Kenvue
Zee Botchway – Wickes
You can find out more about all the nominees and vote for all public categories here.
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