Black Voices in Conversation: Paralympian Anne-Wafula Strike on the intersection of race, gender and disability

  • Watch our interview with Paralympian and campaigner Anne Wafula-Strike


Black Voices In Conversation is a series of interviews by ITV News to mark Black History Month.

We’ve spoken to groundbreaking black individuals to learn about their experiences and to hear their vision for the future.

Donovan Blake, sports correspondent for ITV News Anglia, sat down with British Paralympian and disability campaigner Anne Wafula-Strike to discuss her life and activism.

Anne represented Kenya in wheelchair racing at the 2008 Paralympic Games. After that, she competed for Team GB at two World Championships. 

She told ITV News: "When I was in Africa, the only thing that I had to fight was being a woman and having a disability.

Credit: ITV News

"Then I moved to the UK in the year 2000. I realised that I wasn't just a disabled woman, I was actually disabled, female and black." 

She added that the three intersecting factors motivate her to be who she is today.

Anne also touched on the death of George Floyd earlier this summer. She said when she saw the now infamous footage of a policeman killing Mr Floyd, she was moved to tears.

"Do you know why I cried? Because I have a son. My son is bi-racial, and even in this country, bi-racial people are classed as black. As a mother I was like, 'that could be my child, that could be my son'," she explained.

And Anne's vision for the future? She told us she wants to keep campaigning for "unquestioned acceptance".

She said: "It is possible for me to enjoy the same privileges that you are enjoying, despite the colour of my skin".