The Woman Helping Liverpool Tell a Different Story | Edna Boampong

More conversations about racism in one year in Liverpool than in over twenty years working in the NHS.

Now, that's quite a statement.

When Edna Boampong, Liverpool City Council's Director of Communications and Engagement and Chief Storyteller, shared this during our conversation, I knew we weren't going to spend the afternoon exchanging pleasantries about how wonderful Liverpool is.

Although, to be fair, she had plenty of lovely things to say about the city and its people.

Edna is a woman who knows her onions. Sharp, straightforward and refreshingly honest. She knows what she believes, what needs changing and, perhaps most importantly, that good intentions alone won't do the job.

We spoke about Liverpool's commitment to becoming an anti-racist city and the council's determination to become an anti-racist organisation.

Edna didn't pretend that racism had somehow packed its bags and left Liverpool. Neither did she shy away from acknowledging that the council hasn't always been as approachable as it should be, particularly for people from minority communities.

But what interested me was her insistence that things could be different. That leadership must make decisions and have the courage to follow them through.

And then there were the people behind the council.

Edna spoke with such affection about the staff whose dedication residents might never witness. The ones showing up, going beyond what's expected and doing the often-unseen work of serving a city. She called them “public servants”, and I loved the weight she gave those words.

Perhaps my favourite moment came when she spoke about the legacy she hoped to leave.

She didn't want to be remembered as someone who talked at people, but someone who spoke with them.

Ah. There's a difference, isn't there?

Because you can have the finest communication strategy in the world, but if nobody feels heard, what exactly have you communicated?

For Edna, co-creation, decency and meaningful change weren't just nice words to sprinkle into a leadership speech. They were the things she wanted her work to stand for.

I started Gems of Liverpool because I believe the history of a city isn't only found in what happened a hundred years ago. Some of it is happening right now, in the conversations we're having, the decisions being made and the people choosing what kind of city they want to leave behind.

And that's why this conversation matters to me.

Liverpool has its beautiful parts, its difficult parts and its unfinished business. But when you meet people who can acknowledge all three and still commit themselves to making things better, you can't help feeling hopeful.

I certainly did.

And I think Liverpool has some beautiful chapters yet to be written.

With love,

Jesuloba

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