Celebrating our BAME and Ally network – Meet Mohammed!

At Sheffield Children’s we have a newly formed BAME (Black, Asian or Ethnic Minority) and Ally network. Throughout Black History month we highlighted a number of staff members, their culture and experience getting into healthcare. We are continuing to share stories of colleagues across the Trust and today we are highlighting a member of the BAME and Ally network who has helped share many colleague stories.

Mohammed Musa is a Communications Officer for the Communications Team at Sheffield Children’s.

His grandparents are from India so his heritage is Indian. However, Mohammed’s dad was born in Zambia and his mum and himself were British born.

Mohammed talks through his career in healthcare, people who inspired him to go into healthcare and what Black History Month means to him. Thank you Mohammed​!

What made you want to join the healthcare industry?
I chose to work in the NHS because I wanted to be part of an organisation that helps people every single day. I wanted to be able to offer my skills, dedication and time to support and share the stories of the amazing healthcare staff and teams, who make a difference to people’s lives.

What was your experience of getting into healthcare like?
After graduating, I got a job in marketing at a company in the private sector, however after spending years in the same role, I felt I was getting too comfortable. I wanted a new challenge and a job that would not only offer me opportunities to develop, but also feel rewarding with what I do. I applied for marketing/communications roles at various Trusts but was unsuccessful due to my lack of experience of working in the public sector. However my efforts finally paid off and I got my break in 2019, when I joined South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust as a Communications Assistant. I feel my communications journey in the NHS has just begun.

What do you like about working in healthcare?
I like helping people, whether it’s at work, home or in the community so I feel motivated to support others in whatever way I can. I enjoy meeting new people so having the opportunity to see and share the great work  our services and teams do is rewarding.

You helped the Trust celebrate Black History month – what does the month mean to you?
It’s a time of celebration, recognition and honouring of black history, culture and heritage. It’s also a time to learn, understand and raise awareness. It brings people together to celebrate the positive contributions made in the past and present, not just by historical figures, but also the fantastic staff we have here at Sheffield Children’s.

Can you tell us of any black figures that inspire you today?
One of my heroes is ‘The Greatest’ – Muhammad Ali, an inspiration to us all. Being a black Muslim athlete in America at a time of racial injustice, he was an advocate of the civil rights movement. He persevered and showed courage through hardships and oppression to take his place in history as not just one of the greatest boxers, but celebrated figures of all time.

Was there a figure that inspired you to go into healthcare?
My inspiration was my dad, who has been working for over 30 years in the NHS as a Psychiatrist. He prides on helping others everyday, with no complaints, no matter how stressful the job gets. Even after all these years I still see the same motivation and dedication in his eyes to make a difference, a feeling I hope I can replicate.

What would you say are your greatest achievements in healthcare? Although my career in healthcare is still quite young, I am proud to have been elected communications officer of the BAME staff network at my previous Trust, helping expand the network by increasing members, organising and hosting events and promoting the activities and initiatives both internally and externally. I hope I can also contribute to make a difference to the BAME and ally network group here at Sheffield Children’s.

Do you have a recommended film or book which may educate inspire others?
One of my favourite sports movies is ‘Remember the Titans’ – a film set in the 1970’s that showcases the power of unity. The film is about a new African-American coach (Denzel Washington) of a football programme at a high school in Virginia, who integrates both white and black players into the team, whilst battling prejudice, conflicts and racial tensions from within the team, school and local community.

Another film, is one I watched recently (sorry another sports film), called ’42: The True Story of an American legend’. The film stars Chadwick Boseman and tells the story of baseball player Jackie Robinson, the first black athlete to play in Major League Baseball. At a time when major league baseball had a significant colour barrier, Jackie shows true courage and restraint when faced with open racism from the public, press and other players.