Being Transformed: How Uncharitable Conference Sparked My Radical Transformation

Shurron Rosales (she/her)

After 15 years working in fundraising and equity, diversity, and inclusion within the charity sector, Shurron now freelances, focusing on facilitating conversations around systemic oppression through speaking, consulting, and training. Her work is deeply personal, drawing on her South Asian heritage, mental health struggles, grief, raising multiracial children, and breastfeeding a seriously ill child. Central to her journey is confronting her own ableism as a parent and unpaid carer to her Disabled son, which fuels her ongoing commitment to disability justice.

The Spark

I used to think that power was something other people had—lawmakers, people with titles, badges, and authority. How much power I perceived depended on how much I felt others gave me, not something I recognised within myself. Then, I had a “critical” moment and saw things differently.

The #BAMEOnline conference, founded by Martha Awojobi, is an annual gathering designed to amplify voices in anti-racist work and decolonial practices. The 2022 agenda was packed with discussions on dismantling systemic racism, rethinking leadership, and collective liberation.

It showed me power, leadership, and justice in a new light. I realised how much I had internalised hierarchical, patriarchal, and capitalist structures—how they had shaped my thinking, my work, and my self-worth. I began moving towards reclaiming my power, living with purpose, and building a life that reflects these values. True to this, I took a leap last month and chose voluntary redundancy, starting the next phase of this journey.

Grasping At the Root

I am the daughter of Indian immigrants and grew up in middle-class, rural, White Northamptonshire. I was often the only person of colour in the room, so I learned to blend in and become a chameleon. This survival strategy became a way of life, even with some of my closest friends. I felt disconnected from my identity. I didn’t speak the language of my grandparents, and it often felt like I didn’t fully belong anywhere. It’s hard to recognise your own power when you’re still trying to figure out who you are.

Additionally, Indian cultural values—like the emphasis on qualifications and ‘worthy’ professions—in what many have described as the “good immigrant” phenomenon meant that criticising power was unfamiliar and uncomfortable for me.

“To be radical is to grasp things by the root”
- Angela Davis

Working in the charity sector for a decade compounded this. I mostly worked in large, hierarchical organisations where power was concentrated in the hands of a few people at the top. In fundraising, the power imbalance was even more evident, with funders holding all the cards. It felt like power was always in someone else’s hands.

Then I attended the #BAMEOnline conference and heard Farzana Khan, Martha Awojobi, and Melz Owusu speak about anti-racist work, power and leadership. They shared something that changed everything for me: we all have power within us. The systems of Capitalism and Colonialism condition us to believe that power exists outside of us, but that isn’t the truth.

Melz spoke about how Colonialism doesn’t just take land - it strips away culture and spirit, disconnecting us from our wisdom. Hearing the group speak about ancestral wisdom, indigenous knowledge systems, and spiritual leadership felt like a homecoming to truths I had always known deep down but hadn’t ever heard talked about.

At the conference, Jess Hausti shared a cultural teaching that stopped me in my tracks: in her community, wealth isn’t measured by what you’ve hoarded but by what you’ve given away. Power is demonstrated through care for others and generosity. This was a radical shift from what I had been taught about power in capitalist and colonialist systems, where power is often seen as control over others. In many indigenous cultures, power is shared -"power with" one another instead of "power over" one another. This opened my eyes to the possibility of new systems and ways of aligning with my values.

Stepping into my power

The new perspective and conviction I gained from the 2022 #BAMEOnline conference and everything I’ve learned since has led me to discover my history, reconnect with my culture, and trust my inner voice. The more I read and learn, the clearer it becomes that all forms of oppression are linked - none of us are free until everyone is. 

I’ve stepped into my power by speaking up about injustice, accepting that it may come at a cost. I have spoken up in spaces I once stayed silent, whether it’s sharing uncomfortable truths with executive teams, on social media, or standing up at protests. This has been a significant shift for someone who has always been a people-pleaser. But the real turning point was recognising that the truth and my power have always been within me.

This journey has also taken me into unexpected spaces. Earlier this year, I brought my kids to Parliament to lobby our MP, Wes Streeting, to vote for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. Standing in that institution - where women like me, especially women of colour, have long been overlooked - I felt the weight of something bigger than myself. Even though mothers still can’t bring their babies into the Chamber, I sat in the Commons café with my kids, explaining to Wes that the children in Gaza are as precious as my own and that we have to do everything we can to protect them. While I had facts and statistics, I realised I didn’t need them. In that moment, I felt connected to the generations of mothers who fought for justice before me and those who continue to share our collective love for all children, regardless of nationality. Wes and I disagreed; I spoke my truth with conviction, and when he responded, I told him he had lost my vote.

As a mother to a Disabled son, I’ve had to recognise and unlearn my own ableism while also stepping into my power to challenge it. When people ask invasive questions about my son’s health, I respond with, “We don’t share his medical information with people he doesn’t know well.” It’s a small act of resistance but an important one, pushing back against the assumption that Disabled people’s medical details are public property and reinforcing the need for privacy and respect.

I recognise others have been on this road of anti-oppression for much longer than I have, and they are doing much more than I am.  I’m taking it one step at a time and learning as I go.

Emptying my cup to make space for building something better

One of the biggest takeaways from the conference was the idea of "emptying the cup" - making space for creativity, new ideas, and deeper connections. Farzana talked about how leaders need to create space within themselves to do their best work. That was hard to hear back then, as I sat there knowing my cup had been overflowing for years.

Years of perfectionism, people-pleasing, and juggling the demands of being a working mum and parent-carer had taken a toll. The chronic stress and pressure led to burnout and mental health challenges. I was holding it all together – and barely surviving.

Looking back, I see how the lessons from #BAMEOnline 2022 planted seeds that are coming to life. Last month, I took voluntary redundancy, choosing to step back and make space for a new way forward. Letting go of old patterns was necessary to create room for something different.

Being led by abundance is leading to something special

Even though I’m prioritising rest and reflection, something magical is happening. Opportunities are coming to me - ones that align with my values and sense of purpose. I don’t know exactly what the future holds, but I trust in the abundance of the universe and that I have the resources within me to handle whatever comes my way—whatever that may look like.

We’re halfway through the Uncharitable Festival, and it’s already been so powerful. There’s still so much to explore, so let's listen up, keep our hearts and minds open—because who knows? This could be the moment that ignites your own radical transformation.