Join us on 4 February for our 13th Scope's members event! 

We will mark Race Equality Week together by discussing the barriers to race equality inside and outside the workplace. We will also celebrate diversity, inclusion and the achievements of disabled people of colour in the UK. Hear about the challenges and opportunities disabled people of colour have experienced and the changes they are driving.

• Date: Tuesday 4 February 2025
• Time: From 6.30pm to 8pm.
• Location: online using Zoom.

Members who attend the event will enter a raffle to win a £20 voucher! 

About the event

6.30pm: Welcome from Giovanni Gaetani, Scope’s Membership Programme Lead

6.35pm: Kiza Ishemo introduces the theme of the event and the speakers

6.45pm to 7.30pm: Speakers panel with Fola Tayo, Folaranmi Osifuwa and Shaun Flores

7.30pm to 7.55pm: Roundtable discussion with members

8pm: Event ends

Speakers

Kiza Ishemo

Kiza Ishemo is an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead at Scope. Her experience spans both the public and private sectors, giving her exposure to the diverse challenges that organisations face in creating an inclusive cultures. She employs an authentic and organic, people-centred approach to her work. Kiza is passionate about social justice, equality and inclusion and is driven by lived experience and a commitment to be a change-maker in society. Kiza has worked across a variety of industries and organisations such as Centrica, The Arts Council England, NHS and JD Sports Group.

Shaun Flores

Shaun Flores is a thought leader and catalyst whose work inspires transformation through thought-provoking talks on modern masculinity, mental health, neurodiversity, identity, and DEI. A four-time TEDx speaker featured in BBC News, Men’s Health UK, Metro, and Channel 4, Shaun empowers audiences to challenge societal norms, embrace vulnerability, and reimagine their potential. Due to his lived experience of mental health.

Shaun’s impactful sessions have reached diverse audiences in universities, colleges, schools, and corporate settings. He has collaborated with leading organisations including the NHS, Panasonic, Vodafone, O2, and Virgin Media, using his lived experiences and deep engagement with research to deliver inclusive and actionable workshops.

Shaun’s mission is clear: to inspire others to transform their challenges into catalysts for change, leaving an indelible mark on the lives he touches.

Folaranmi Osifuwa

Folaranmi Osifuwa is Scope’s Assembly member since 2024. He is a Nigerian resident in the United Kingdom, where he has lived for the past 18 years as a proud member of the minority community. Now in his late 40s, Folaranmi is a multifaceted professional with expertise spanning estate surveying, project management, sustainability development, digital transformation, innovation management, risk management, and strategic management. He holds an MBA in International Business Management and a certified degree in International Law.

Despite the challenges posed by living with a disability, Folaranmi has consistently defied the odds. A polio survivor since the age of four months, he endured stigma and societal rejection while growing up in Nigeria. However, his resilience, faith in God, and the unwavering support of his mother and siblings saw him through primary, college, and university education. These formative experiences shaped his determination to succeed and advocate for others living with disabilities.

In November 2019, Folaranmi faced another life-altering challenge when he suffered a haemorrhagic stroke, leaving him paralyzed and bedridden for two years. Upon his discharge from the hospital in 2021, he was diagnosed with severe anxiety, schizophrenia, depression, and panic attacks accompanied by seizures. Despite these obstacles, Folaranmi chose not to succumb to adversity.

Driven by a passion for making a difference, he joined various charities as a volunteer and became an advocate for people living with disabilities and post-polio survivors. His advocacy work reflects his commitment to creating a more inclusive society, and he is proud to serve as an elected member of the Scope Assembly, a platform that amplifies the voices of disabled people.

Folaranmi’s journey is a testament to resilience, determination, and the power of purpose. He continues to inspire others by demonstrating that challenges can be transformed into opportunities to uplift and empower others.

Fola Tayo

Fola is a Product Architect (Service Designer). She is London born but not bred. She went to a boarding school for visually impaired children in Sussex when she was 4. This was an environment where everything was adapted to the children’s needs. In total contrast she spent 5 years in Nigeria from 10 to 15 in schools without any support or adjustments. With failure not being an option, she credits this time with really cementing her resilience. 

Fola has worked for large organisations (BBC and BT) and smaller organisations.  She has been has been at Scope for over 6 years. Fola thinks that if organisations are serious about inclusion then it is important to have the voices of marginalised people in the room while the conversation is developing, rather than them being there as an afterthought.  

As a visually impaired black woman and aunt to an autistic nephew, Fola is passionate about accessibility for all.