Sado Jirde

Sado Jirde is the Director of Black South West Network (BSWN), where she leads on policy, research, cultural heritage, and enterprise development to advance racial justice and equity across the South West and nationally.

Under her leadership, BSWN has become a key regional and national voice, securing major investment into the sector and pioneering community-led programmes such as the UnMuseum, a decolonial and anti-racist cultural heritage initiative.

Sado is widely recognised for her leadership and advocacy, receiving the 2025 Activist Museum Award by the Research Centre for Museums and Galleries (RCMG) at the School of Museum Studies in the University of Leicester for her contribution to transforming the cultural sector.

She serves on multiple regional and national boards, championing equity, inclusion, and structural change, as well as winning Transformational leader of the year in the South West Business Leadership Awards 2025.