"...The truth is, everyone is going to hurt you. You just got to find the ones worth suffering for."...
Bob Marley
Who
We Are
Dr Jak Beula
Founder & CEO
Dr Jak Beula: A 21st-century educartist and CEO of the Nubian Jak Community Trust. He founded the Nubian Jak Group in 1994, inspired to share the historical knowledge he gained while creating the multi-award-winning Black History board game Nubian Jak. The Nubian Jak Community Trust is a unique international plaque and sculpture organisation that concretely honours Britain’s diverse past.
Among its many achievements, Dr Beula led the creation of the African and Caribbean War Memorial—also known as the Brixton Cenotaph—permanently installed on Windrush Square, Brixton, London, on 22 June 2017. More than 1,500 people, including government ministers, military representatives, and marching bands, attended the official unveiling.
He also designed the NHS Windrush and Commonwealth Nurses and Midwives Memorial statue, installed at Whittington Hospital in July 2021.
“It takes a team to do all this, and behind the scenes are a lively team of NJCT associates and volunteers. To them all, past and present, there is endless gratitude.” — Dr Jak Beula
"...Our local history is global history."…
Board Members
Professor Doirean Wilson
Chair
Dr Doirean Wilson BEM: A distinguished academic, thought leader, and multiple award-winning diversity expert, she is Associate Professor in Sustainability Management and Director of the Academy of Policing & Criminal Justice at the University of East London.
She also serves as UK Country Chair for the G100 Higher Education & Industry Connect Wing. Dr Wilson sits on the Police Race Action Plan Advisory Board and created the Culturally Inclusive Toolkit for Policing, advancing equity, inclusion, and sustainable leadership across education, business, and public service.
Theresa Joseph
Trustee & Secretary
Theresa MJ Joseph: Trustee appointed June 2025. A community organiser, creative planner, and skilled volunteer manager with a passion for heritage, equity, and cultural celebration. Founder of Black Pound Takeover, she has led events and programmes that amplify underrepresented voices and strengthen community ties. As a Trustee of the Nubian Jak Community Trust, she is committed to honouring Black and minority ethnic communities through education, visibility,
and legacy.
Vincent Onuchi
Trustee & Treasurer
Vincent Onuchi: An independent financial professional specialising in corporate governance, compliance, and technical accounting, with a particular focus on the financing and fundraising needs of scaling global fintech businesses and not-for-profit organisations. He also serves as a School Governor and Treasurer for the Nubian Jak Charitable Trust.
Carol Wilson-Frith
Trustee
Carol Wilson-Frith: Trustee appointed June 2025. An award-winning Honours Fine Craft Design and Business Management alumna, she is a Creative Director, Projects Lead, Community Director, Trustee, and Diversity Ambassador who embodies a steadfast commitment to driving social impact. A passionate visionary, she is renowned for her pioneering work in preserving and elevating Black British heritage. With over 20 years of experience in creative leadership and community engagement, she has forged impactful partnerships. Carol also serves as Public Relations Director to several award-winning prominent Windrush Commonwealth settlers and has a longstanding commitment to cultural equity.
Jacqueline Morrison
Trustee
Jacqueline Morrison: Trustee appointed May 2024. A visionary NHS manager and public health researcher with expertise in healthcare leadership, corporate governance, and inclusive programme design. She is committed to championing Black cultural heritage, amplifying underrepresented voices, and leading public forums that preserve legacy, educate, and advance equity.
Kesheniwa Aghaji
Honorary Trustee
Kesheniwa Aghaji: A founding Trustee of the Nubian Jak Community Trust (alongside Jak Beula and Jay Mastin). A former actress, she has starred alongside Danny Glover and Michael Caine, and portrayed the wife of Denzel Washington in the multi-award-winning film *Cry Freedom*. A respected cultural advocate, she is often referred to as “The First Lady of the African & Caribbean War Memorial.”
Josephine Beaton
Honorary Trustee
Josephine Beaton: A former Headteacher of Norlington School for Boys, Leyton, she is also an editor and writer. A retired East End secondary headteacher (MA Oxon), she has contributed research and articles on early African-American jazz and blues—including work in the Black Music Research Journal (2009/10) and contributions to John Chilton’s Sydney Bechet – The Wizard of Jazz—and supports heritage initiatives with the Nubian Jak Community Trust, including work toward the Windrush & Commonwealth Nurses statue project.
Professor Gus John
Honorary President
Professor Augustine “Gus” John: A Grenadian-born, award-winning writer, education campaigner, consultant, lecturer, and researcher, he has worked across education policy, management, and international development and currently resides in Wales. The author of Because They’re Black—which won the Martin Luther King Memorial Prize—he became the UK’s first Black Director of Education and Leisure Services (Hackney, 1989). A long-standing scholar-activist, he helped pioneer Black supplementary schooling, has chaired organisations such as the Communities Empowerment Network and Parents and Students Empowerment, and continues to advise on equality, schooling, and social justice in the UK and internationally.
Dr Yvonne Thompson CBE
Ambassador
Yvonne Thompson CBE FRSA: A pioneering British business leader and entrepreneur originally from Guyana, she is a founding member of the radio station Choice FM, former Music Editor of Root Magazine, and Managing Director of the marketing and PR agency ASAP Communications. She has also served as President of the European Federation of Black Women Business Owners and was appointed Chair of the Black Cultural Archives in 2022. Her work in championing women-owned businesses, racial equality and leadership development has been widely recognised — in 2003 she was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to ethnic minority business.
Dr. Margaret Busby CBE
Patron
Margaret Busby CBE Hon. FRSL: A major cultural figure in Britain and internationally, she became Britain’s youngest and first Black African woman publisher when she co-founded the publishing house Allison & Busby in the late 1960s. A writer, editor, critic, and broadcaster, she edited the pioneering anthology Daughters of Africa: An International Anthology of Words and Writings by Women of African Descent (1992). Busby’s most recent major work is the 2019 anthology New Daughters of Africa: An International Anthology of 20th- and 21st-Century Writing by Women of African Descent. Her enduring commitment to literary excellence, cultural leadership, and representation has made her a trailblazer and mentor to generations of writers and readers.
Lord Paul Boateng
Patron
The Rt Hon. The Lord Boateng of Akyem and Wembley PC DL: A British Labour Party politician, lawyer, and statesman who served as Member of Parliament for Brent South from 1987 to 2005. In 2002, he became the United Kingdom’s first Black Cabinet Minister when appointed Chief Secretary to the Treasury. A qualified barrister and active lay preacher in the Church of England, he later served as British High Commissioner to South Africa from March 2005 to May 2009. Introduced to the House of Lords in 2010, he continues to champion public service, international development, and social justice.
"...We must never forget our historic heroes and acknowledge their contributions to the ongoing struggle for equality and justice for all."...
Extensive
Awards
London and South East Prestige Awards
Acquisition International Non Profit Organisation Awards
The Blac Awards
Eurobest Awards
Drum Awards
One Show (advertising awards in Cannes)
Winner of Gold Lion award for design.
Campaign Big Awards
Winner of Experiential - The Black Plaque Project
Data & Marketing Association Awards
Winner of Best Use of Out of Home [silver]
Winner of Best Integrated Campaign [silver]
NUBIAN JAK
COMMUNITY TRUST
The Nubian Jak Community Trust is proud to collaborate with a diverse network of partners who share our commitment to celebrating Britain’s multicultural heritage. From local councils and cultural institutions to educational bodies and community groups, our partners play a vital role in helping us deliver plaque unveilings, memorials, and public history initiatives that honour the legacy of underrepresented communities. Together, we make history visible.
