To mark Black History Month 2025, Kaveed Ali - Chief Operating Officer at the National Children’s Bureau – reflects on how his values have shaped his professional journey. He describes the strength he draws from both his Black identity and the experiences of others in the community.
Kaveed Ali, Chief Operating Officer at NCB
What made you choose your current role?
My early career focused heavily on children and young people. Much of it in direct delivery youth work and development in the UK and West Africa.
As life evolved, I found myself working in different technical roles and sectors, which gave me a breadth of experience across strategy, finance, EDI and culture, marketing, and strategic communications. That variety has shaped how I work, enabling me to bring together different areas, disciplines, and ways of thinking. I think that’s what makes me effective as a COO.
At the same time, my foundation in community and youth work still anchors my sense of purpose here at NCB, and the skills I’ve picked up along the way hopefully allow me to be useful to it.
What’s your proudest achievement at work?
My proudest achievement is just being in work.
In my early twenties, I was the primary carer for my mum, who had been diagnosed with early-onset dementia. I feel immensely privileged to have had that role, but it was a deeply challenging time.
After she passed away, I struggled with purpose and confidence. I wasn’t fresh out of university any more, and I had a big gap on my CV. No one wanted to employ me. I won’t go into detail, but with the encouragement of my family and close friends, I built a small business. It gave me confidence and courage, and importantly, it created opportunities for other people too. It became a launchpad into different roles.
Having gone through countless rejections and the experience of struggling to find work, I’m proud of the fact that I now have a job at all. The privilege today is that I get to choose roles that align with my sense of purpose and the values I hold.
Where do you draw your power from? What keeps you motivated?
I’d like to reframe that as: where do I draw my strength from?
Values. Identity. Purpose.
It comes from what I believe. It comes from knowing who I am, which is deeply anchored in those beliefs. And finally, it comes from why I do what I do.
Who are the main Black figures in your life who support you and give you power?
James Baldwin wrote:
“Love takes off the masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within. I use the word ‘love’ here not merely in the personal sense but as a state of being, or a state of grace - not in the infantile American sense of being made happy but in the tough and universal sense of quest and daring and growth”. (Baldwin, 1963).
The support and empowerment I’ve received from my closest friends has allowed me to be who I am. That, I think, is the greatest expression of power and privilege. The love I’ve felt - in the way Baldwin describes - has been the greatest enabler of my growth.
There’s also something in the example others set, and how that can inspire and empower you.
A close friend of mine, PJ, passed away just over three years ago, and he exemplified that as much as anyone. I still find strength in his inspiration. I won’t list his achievements (you can get a flavour of them here), but he always used to say, “I war to be better.” Even now, that line gives me encouragement and remains a source of power for change - just as he was.
Who is a Black figure in your life that you are extremely proud of?
The name that immediately comes to mind is another close friend, Franklyn Addo. Google him.
The first bit of press Frank ever received was a string of silly tabloid articles about him rejecting Cambridge and choosing instead to stay in London to study at LSE. We never understood why that was newsworthy.
Since then, though, he’s gone on to publish a piece in The Guardian clarifying his decision, become a journalist and writer, and recently published his first book. He’s also a youth worker who has led transformative work in high-risk settings, and his insights into issues such as serious youth violence and the criminalisation of young people are exceptional. I’m consistently amazed by his intellect and the humility with which he applies it.
Beyond all of that, Franklyn is one of the funniest people I know - and one of my best friends. My pride in him isn’t just about what he’s done, but who he is. He’s authentic, uncompromising in his values, and deeply comfortable in himself.
References:
Baldwin, J. (1963) The fire next time. New York: The Dial Press.
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