Sado Jirde

Sado Jirde is Director of Black South West Network (BSWN), a racial justice organisation working at the intersection of community organising, research, and policy. Since 2013, she has led BSWN’s transformation into a nationally recognised incubator for community-rooted, evidence-based responses to structural racial and socio-economic inequality. Her leadership has established BSWN as a driving force in shaping inclusive policy, economic justice strategies, and regional development agendas in the South West.

Sado is a strong advocate for knowledge equity and meaningful collaboration between communities, universities, and institutions. She has consistently challenged extractive models of engagement and advanced practices of co-production that centre the lived experience, leadership, and expertise of racially minoritised communities.

She sits on several advisory bodies, including Bristol’s One City Economy Board. Her work has been recognised with the African Achievers Award (2015), the Most Inspirational Role Model Award from the West Women of the Year Awards (2019), and inclusion on the Women of Inspiration: 100 Social Enterprise Leaders Showing Covid Who’s Boss list (2020). In 2025, she was awarded the Activist Museum Award for her contributions to anti-racist cultural work and public engagement.