Don't Wait, ACT! A Culturally Competent Approach for Inclusive Development Communications With African Diaspora Communities

Abstract

Amid the anti-racist imperative of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement and global decolonisation efforts, international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) in the UK are grappling with race and racism in their development communications. While attention to racial representation in visual narratives has increased, UK African diaspora perspectives remain marginalised. This paper introduces the ACT model—Activating Cultural Awareness, Community Collaboration, and Transformative Communication Practices—as a culturally competent framework for inclusive development communications. It advocates for empowering African diaspora communities to reshape development narratives and foster more equitable, authentic, and impactful communications across the sector.