As a young girl, born in Southern Jamaica in 1952, Baroness Doreen Lawrence never had lofty ambitions. In fact, she only wanted a life where she went to school, got married and had children.

At the age of 9, Doreen and her family moved to South-East London to try to build a better life. Fulfilling her goals of living a happy life, she began a career in banking, married a young man called Neville and had three children: Stephen, Stuart and Georgina.

Unfortunately, Doreen only became a public figure after the tragic and senseless murder of her teenage son, Stephen Lawrence, while he was waiting for a bus, on 22 April 1993. Not only was it a tragedy that a young man with a world of potential was brutally killed, but it was also a stark reminder of the racial prejudice that fuelled this act of hate.

Following the murder of her son, despite her grief, Doreen used her courage and love to highlight the racism of the public, and the misconduct of the Metropolitan (London) police. Her dedication resulted in the 1999 Macpherson Report, which determined that the Metropolitan Police were “institutionally racist”. This meant that it was undeniable that those who were meant to protect the public were themselves racist!

Her tenacious efforts to see reforms within the police service and to improve community relations led to her being awarded an OBE in 2003. Also she was named the ‘Most influential woman in the UK’ in 2014 by the BBC.

In 2020, she was appointed as race relations advisor to the Labour Party. Baroness Lawrence has continued to show leadership throughout her incredible pursuit of justice. The creation of the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, helping disadvantaged young people to achieve their potential, is only one of her many incredible accomplishments.