Draft:Marsha Ramroop

Ramroop was born in Watford, Hertfordshire in 1976, to Trinidadian parents, and grew up in Harrow.{{Cite web |last=Ramroop |first=Marsha |date=2024-04-05 |title=Comment: 'Londoners need to be fond of the areas where they live' |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/homesandproperty/where-to-live/social-affection-marsha-ramroop-b1149500.html |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=The Standard |language=en}}. She attended Heathfield School in Pinner, and was Head Girl when she left{{Cite book |last=Ramroop |first=Marsha |url=https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003435747 |title=Building Inclusion |date=2024-07-22 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-003-43574-7 |location=London|doi=10.4324/9781003435747 }}. Suella Braverman attended the school at a similar time{{Cite book |last=Ramroop |first=Marsha |url=https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003435747 |title=Building Inclusion |date=2024-07-22 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-003-43574-7 |location=London|doi=10.4324/9781003435747 }}. She attended Birmingham City University (was University of Central England) graduating with a degree in Media and Communications in 1997. Between 1997 and 2020 she worked mostly as a journalist at the BBC before concentrating on inclusion work, particularly in architecture and the built environment.{{Cite web |last=Ing |first=Will |date=2021-02-03 |title=RIBA appoints first-ever director for inclusion and diversity |url=https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/riba-appoints-first-ever-director-for-inclusion-and-diversity |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=The Architects’ Journal |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Jessel |first=Ella |date=2021-05-21 |title=Profile: Marsha Ramroop, RIBA's first-ever head of diversity |url=https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/profile-marsha-ramroop-ribas-first-ever-head-of-diversity |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=The Architects’ Journal |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2022-03-25 |title=RIBA's first director of diversity and inclusion resigns after a year |url=https://www.dezeen.com/2022/03/25/marsha-ramroop-resigns-diversity-inclusion-director-royal-institute-british-architects/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Dezeen |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2023-09-07 |title=Marsha Ramroop, Author at Dezeen |url=https://www.dezeen.com/author/marsha-ramroop/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Dezeen |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2022-09-01 |title="We need to move on from just having the conversation" says ex-RIBA inclusion boss Marsha Ramroop |url=https://www.dezeen.com/2022/09/01/ex-riba-inclusion-boss-marsha-ramroop-interviews/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Dezeen |language=en}}

Her father is Andrew Ramroop OBE{{Cite web |title=BBC Radio 4 - Desert Island Discs, Andrew Ramroop, tailor |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00193r6 |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}} of Maurice Sedwell, the Savile Row tailor{{Cite book |last=Ramroop |first=Marsha |url=https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003435747 |title=Building Inclusion |date=2024-07-22 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-003-43574-7 |location=London|doi=10.4324/9781003435747 }}{{Cite web |title=ABOUT US |url=https://www.unheardvoice.co.uk/about-us |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Unheard Voice |language=en-GB}}.

After leaving university, Ramroop worked with the BBC World News Japanese Translation Unit{{Cite book |last=Ramroop |first=Marsha |url=https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003435747 |title=Building Inclusion |date=2024-07-22 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-003-43574-7 |location=London|doi=10.4324/9781003435747 }} in news production. She then worked as a broadcast journalist in commercial radio including at Saga 105.7FM before returning to the BBC to have a number of roles across platforms. During this time she worked on diversity and inclusion strategy within the BBC{{Cite web |title=ABOUT US |url=https://www.unheardvoice.co.uk/about-us |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Unheard Voice |language=en-GB}}. She left in 2020.

Ramroop started her own inclusion consultancy, Unheard Voice, whilst at the BBC, but mothballed it to work at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).{{Cite web |date=2024-09-03 |title=Marsha Ramroop Advancing Inclusive Behaviours for Organisational Change in Architecture |url=https://disruptmag.com/marsha-ramroop-advancing-inclusive-behaviours-for-organisational-change-in-architecture/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Disrupt Mag |language=en-US}}

Ramroop was the inaugural Director of Inclusion at the Royal Institute of British Architects{{Cite web |title=RIBA announces new Director of Inclusion & Diversity |url=https://www.architecture.com/knowledge-and-resources/knowledge-landing-page/riba-announces-new-director-of-inclusion-diversity |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=www.architecture.com}}. Whilst she was there, she ran a radio station about inclusion called RIBA Radio{{Cite web |title=MArch student features on RIBA Radio |url=https://www.bcu.ac.uk/news-events/architecture-and-design/march-student-features-on-riba-radio |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Birmingham City University |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=RIBA Radio |url=https://www.architecture.com/about/equality-diversity-and-inclusion/RIBA-Radio |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=www.architecture.com}}. The content on inclusion for the sector was well-received by members{{Cite web |title=RIBA Radio – A note of thanks from Marsha Ramroop, Director of Inclusion & Diversity |url=https://www.architecture.com/knowledge-and-resources/knowledge-landing-page/riba-radio-a-note-of-thanks-from-marsha-ramroop |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=www.architecture.com}}.

She resigned after 13 months in the role and left a few months later{{Cite news |date=2022-03-25 |title=RIBA's first director of diversity and inclusion resigns after a year |url=https://www.dezeen.com/2022/03/25/marsha-ramroop-resigns-diversity-inclusion-director-royal-institute-british-architects/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241226035759/https://www.dezeen.com/2022/03/25/marsha-ramroop-resigns-diversity-inclusion-director-royal-institute-british-architects/ |archive-date=2024-12-26 |access-date=2025-03-26 |work=Dezeen |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Jessel |first=Ella |date=2022-03-22 |title=RIBA's first-ever diversity director leaves after a year |url=https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/ribas-first-ever-diversity-director-quits-after-a-year |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=The Architects’ Journal |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=RIBA's diversity & inclusion chief is stepping down after only a year |url=https://archinect.com/news/article/150303724/riba-s-diversity-inclusion-chief-is-stepping-down-after-only-a-year |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Archinect |language=en}}{{Citation |title=Royal Institute of British Architects |date=2025-01-30 |work=Wikipedia |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Institute_of_British_Architects |access-date=2025-03-26 |language=en}}. Ramroop returned to independent consultancy after leaving.

RIBA Publishing commissioned Ramroop to write the Handbook on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Architecture but scrapped the book deal six-months later{{Cite web |last=Ing |first=Will |date=2023-01-11 |title=RIBA scraps book deal with former diversity director |url=https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/riba-scraps-book-deal-with-former-diversity-director |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=The Architects’ Journal |language=en}}.

Routledge took on the book which was published in August 2024.{{Cite web |title=Building Inclusion: A Practical Guide to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Architecture and the Built Environment |url=https://www.routledge.com/Building-Inclusion-A-Practical-Guide-to-Equity-Diversity-and-Inclusion-in-Architecture-and-the-Built-Environment/Ramroop/p/book/9781032564838 |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Routledge & CRC Press |language=en}}

Building Inclusion: A Practical Guide to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Architecture and the Built Environment is a manual to support and provide guidance to the profession on these issues.

The blurb for the book says: "Acknowledging that the existence of EDI procedures does not necessarily ensure their use, it focuses on demonstrating behaviours that help create, implement and enforce policies, procedures and practices to deliver inclusion."

The book describes using Cultural Intelligence to deliver inclusive outcomes.

2024: Building Inclusion: A Practical Guide to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Architecture and the Built Environment{{Cite book |last1=Ramroop |first1=Marsha |title=Building inclusion: a practical guide to equity, diversity and inclusion in architecture and the built environment |last2=Lari |first2=Yasmeen |date=2025 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-032-56483-8 |location=Abingdon, Oxon London New York}} ISBN 978-1032564838

2023: If we're to ask one man to turn this around, that's a heavy task indeed{{Cite web |date=2023-09-07 |title="If we're to ask one man to turn this around, that's a heavy task indeed" |url=https://www.dezeen.com/2023/09/07/riba-muyiwa-oki-marsha-ramroop-opinion/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Dezeen |language=en}}, Dezeen, 7 September 2023

2023: Inter section: systemic inequalities in architecture{{Cite web |last=Ramroop |first=Marsha |date=2023-03-01 |title=Inter section: systemic inequalities in architecture |url=https://www.architectural-review.com/essays/keynote/inter-section-systemic-inequalities-in-architecture |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=The Architectural Review |language=en}}, The Architectural Review, W Awards Issue 1499, March 2023

2022: Cultural intelligence: think of it like Couch to 5K{{Cite web |last=Ramroop |first=Marsha |date=2022-01-27 |title=Cultural intelligence: think of it like Couch to 5K |url=https://www.ribaj.com/intelligence/cq-inclusion-in-architecture |access-date=2025-03-31 |website=www.ribaj.com |language=en}}, RIBAJ, 27 January 2022

2022: Cultural intelligence: The importance of strategy{{Cite web |last=Ramroop |first=Marsha |date=2022-01-10 |title=Cultural intelligence: The importance of strategy |url=https://www.ribaj.com/intelligence/cultural-intelligence-inclusion-in-architecture-importance-of-strategy |access-date=2025-03-31 |website=www.ribaj.com |language=en}}, RIBAJ, 10 January 2022

2021: CQ knowledge can help prevent you making cultural assumptions{{Cite web |last=Ramroop |first=Marsha |date=2021-12-03 |title=CQ knowledge can help prevent you making cultural assumptions |url=https://www.ribaj.com/intelligence/cultural-intelligence-inclusion-in-architecture-cq-knowledge |access-date=2025-03-31 |website=www.ribaj.com |language=en}}, RIBAJ, 3 December 2021

2021: Action more than simple awareness leads towards true inclusion{{Cite web |last=Ramroop |first=Marsha |date=2021-11-04 |title=Action more than simple awareness leads towards true inclusion |url=https://www.ribaj.com/intelligence/inclusion-needs-action-not-just-awareness |access-date=2025-03-31 |website=www.ribaj.com |language=en}}, RIBAJ, 4 November 2021

2022 IFTDO Category 3: Turning Learning into Action: Winner Multinational & Large Corporation: RIBA “Developing Cultural Intelligence Programme”{{Cite news |last=Karthikeyan |first=Dr R. |date=May 2022 |title=IFTDO News |url=https://www.henry.fi/media/kansainvalisyys/kansainvaliset-julkaisut/iftdo-news-may-2022.pdf }}

2022 Brandon Hall Awards: HCM Gold Medal: Best Learning Program that Supports and Promotes Diversity, Equity and Inclusion{{Cite web |last=CondorAgency |first=d-d |title=HCM Technology Awards Program |url=https://excellenceawards.brandonhall.com/excellence-in-action-awards/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Brandon Hall Awards |language=en-US}}

2022 Brandon Hall Awards: HCM Gold Medal: Best Learning Program for Unconscious Bias Awareness{{Cite web |last=CondorAgency |first=d-d |title=HCM Technology Awards Program |url=https://excellenceawards.brandonhall.com/excellence-in-action-awards/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Brandon Hall Awards |language=en-US}}

2012 (Journalism) BBC Gillard Gold: Breaking News: BBC Radio Derby coverage of the Philpott Fire{{Cite web |title=ABOUT US |url=https://www.unheardvoice.co.uk/about-us |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Unheard Voice |language=en-GB}}

[https://www.buildinginclusion.info Building Inclusion Book website]

[https://www.unheardvoice.co.uk Unheard Voice Consultancy Ltd]

[https://www.architecture.com/about/equality-diversity-and-inclusion/RIBA-Radio RIBA Radio]

[https://culturalq.co.uk/webinars/cultural-intelligence-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-dei/ Cultural Intelligence, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Webinar]

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