Black History Month
Honouring our communities
Stand in solidarity with Black members, colleagues and service users.
Equity, diversity and belonging are core to our strategy, our leadership and our work with members. We're listening, learning and working together to create a profession where every person feels seen, valued and safe. We must all work to ensure Black communities are treated with equity and support in a system which so often ignores them.
This year’s Black History Month (BHM) theme, Honouring our communities, recognises the people whose everyday contributions shape, support and sustain Black lives. It celebrates those who create opportunities, foster belonging and strengthen Black communities around them, often without recognition.
Why BHM and this theme matters to OT
For occupational therapists, community and participation are at the heart of what we do. Whether supporting someone to reconnect with meaningful activities after illness, thrive in work, navigate education or maintain independence, we understand the vital role that communities play in health, wellbeing and quality of life.
Communities can be found in neighbourhoods, workplaces, hospitals, schools and cultural networks, wherever people come together to support one another.
Pride and Power
Black History Month is also an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the contributions of Black occupational therapists, students, support workers, educators and leaders. Their experiences, expertise and leadership enrich our profession and help us build more inclusive services and workplaces. As we honour our communities this October, we also honour the people whose dedication, advocacy and care help others participate, belong and flourish.
Show your solidarity!
We’d love to see our members sharing Black History Month content across the world of OT. If you attend a local event, hold a work discussion, use your member logo or snap a photo of something you’re reading – share it on social media and tag us.
Your member logo
In 2025, we introduced a Black History Month version of the Member of RCOT (MRCOT) logo!
Add it to your digital platforms or show solidarity in your signatures.
Join our Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (B.A.M.E) network
The Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (B.A.M.E) network on RCOT Communities is your space to connect, share and grow alongside Black and other minoritised occupational therapists, students and allies.
Working together, this network supports members in finding solidarity, raising awareness and advocating for inclusive practice.
Be a critical friend
You could join the Caribbean Network of Occupational Therapists by contacting Dr Blaine Robin via [email protected].
Or, join BAMEOTUK. You can visit their website for more details, activities and actions.
What are we doing this year?
Our hero ‘O’
As we do every year to mark this month, we'll be changing the ‘O’ in our RCOT logo for this month to show solidarity with our Black members, colleagues and people everywhere.
Using a design celebrating the colours red, green, gold and black – colours with significant meaning, used widely to denote BHM.
The ‘O’ in our logo represents our identity as an organisation as well as ‘occupation’. We wouldn’t be here without the Black people who have significantly contributed to our profession.
Spotlighting the voices, stories and contributions of Black occupational therapists
Useful resources
Read, watch and share
Challenge your own biases
Explore our Equity, Diversity and Belonging toolkit. This first toolkit focuses on critical self-awareness and will help you build insight into your own biases and guide you in overcoming them.
Our commitment to equity, diversity and belonging
Check out our Equity, diversity and belonging strategy and action plan.
We want to thank the members of BAME OTUK, the BAME Expert Advisory Group, the BAME network, the Ethnos Colleague Network and all RCOT members who have worked with us to help make our work more equitable and accessible over the last few years.