Introduction to ICR and founder Sandra Gordon

Radio Broadcaster and podcaster Sandra Green interviews the founder of I Can Represent podcast Sandra Gordon.

Biography

Sandra’s working career started as an admin assistant, and she worked her way up to running her own Call Centres across 3 sites for some trusted brands. She utilised the opportunity of a career break to undertake voluntary work in Africa, job coaching the homeless, and to become an accredited Life Coach. The trip to Africa also reignited her creative side and led her to starting her own creative business where she worked collectively with Artisans in Africa, which helped to supports their sustainability.

Sandra’s social involvement includes a few projects and enterprise that focus on supporting the underrepresented in the city to have the same opportunities to move forward in their lives.

A chance meeting in the green room of a TV comedy, gave birth to the idea of Rise a social enterprise, which was established after a discussion the lack of visibility of black businesses on the high street. The organisation specialised in providing opportunities for those businesses to promote what they do to a wider audience through organised events, exhibitions and on a weekly local community radio program. Rise also delivered workshops for Black women around personal development and starting their own business. They delivered the annual Rise Awards in the city which recognises and celebrates achievements in Business, Community and entrepreneurship.

As well as a presenter and Broadcaster for community radio led me to become Strategic lead partner for the Black and Green Ambassadors program – putting Black voices into Green environmental spaces, where traditionally we have been absent.

The work for Women’s equality was supported through my work with Bristol Women’s voice, which is a powerful voice for making women’s equality in Bristol a reality, and as a member of the Mayoral Women’s Commission and Business task group. I am currently a Director for the Bristol Women in Business Charter, where we believe that businesses cannot reach their full potential if they fail to recruit and retain a gender-balanced workforce. Our purpose is to recognise and support businesses in and around Bristol that are making progress towards gender equality. Our ambition is to help accelerate the pace of change for the benefit of women, the businesses they work in and the communities they live in.

I became a Commissioner and Co-Chair for the Mayoral Commission on Race Equality to help work on collective solutions to tackling the race inequalities faced by so many in the city. I am also passionate about inclusion and representation and was honoured to be appointed as a Magistrate and as a governor for City of Bristol College.
At the heart of everything Sandra does is about giving everyone a chance to be the best they can be and to bring balance and equality to those groups who are disadvantaged in our society.

www.SLGcoachingandconsultancy.com