Andréa Hounto

Alumna Andréa Hounto (History and Politics, 2016) was President of the Afro-Caribbean Society and BAME Officer on the Students’ Union’s Liberation Committee during her time studying at our Penryn Campus. She is currently working as a Barrister and we caught up with her to find out what achievements she's most proud of ahead of Black History Month 2023.

What does Black History month mean to you and why is it important to you?  

Black History month (BHM), to me, is a time for non-Black people to create space for and engage with Black voices, culture and lived experiences. For Black people, this isn’t something that is only important in October - this is our lives. BHM is a great opportunity to open dialogue with other demographics and bring some of the systemic barriers we face as a demographic into the spotlight.

Do you have any Black female role models that inspire you? Who and why? 

It sounds cliché but my biggest female role model is my mum (her name is Michèle). She came to the UK as a single mother of four children and has somehow managed to build a successful business whilst also being an amazing mother. She has always encouraged me and my three younger brothers to reach for the stars in terms of our career goals and life ambitions. I couldn’t have become a barrister without her support. I mean that literally. In addition to emotional support, she has invested so much of her finances into ensuring that I can complete my legal education.

What career or personal achievement/s are you most proud of? 

This changes every year, but this year, I will have to say qualifying as a Barrister in England and Wales. My path to the Bar has not at all been smooth-sailing. It took me five years to secure pupillage (the 12-month training period required to qualify as a barrister), which is quite a long time. Most of the people I did the Bar course with had given up on becoming barristers by then, and pivoted to alternative career paths. 

For added context about the significance of this achievement, the latest Diversity Report published by the Bar Standards Board in January 2022 reported that Black people made up 3.3% of Barristers in England and Wales: "Around 3.3 per cent of the Bar, 3.1 per cent of pupils, 3.5 per cent of nonQCs, and 1.4 per cent of QCs are from a Black/Black British background. This compares to around 3.6 per cent of the UK working age population.” 

As a first-generation immigrant and Black woman that attended a non-selective comprehensives state school, to say that the odds were stacked against me would be an understatement. I am so thankful that my family and friends did not allow me to give up when I encountered (many many) setbacks. I am now able to use my voice, as well as my unique lived experience, to help others.

What is the legacy you’d like to leave behind as your place in Black history? 

Through my work as a family and immigration barrister, I hope to be able to impact people’s lives for the better. I am passionate about advocating for the vulnerable and speaking out on behalf of the marginalised and oppressed. Through my family law practice, I work with a lot of victims of domestic abuse and I am very passionate about helping survivors of domestic abuse to regain their power and their voice. Through my immigration practise, I hope to be able to challenge the Government’s draconian immigration policy, particularly with regards to those seeking asylum and/or humanitarian protection. I hope to use the law as a tool to redress the imbalance of power that exists in our current society.

As well as being a lawyer, I am a singer-songwriter: I released a gospel EP in 2021 and have just recently released a new single called ‘Rest’, which is about finding hope when you are experiencing burnout. My hope is that my music brings people peace and hope. I probably wouldn’t mind winning a Grammy one day (that’s a joke, for the record).

Whilst remembering our history is important it also provides an opportunity to look to the future – what is a change you’d like to see or what would you like that to look like?   

I would like to see the end of the “First Black [insert role/achievement]”. It is 2023 and we really should not be having the “First Black” anything at this stage. Black excellence is everywhere, it should be the norm and not the exception. I hope that we are able to progress past this sort of tokenism and see real systemic change that leads to Black people being represented in all facets of society. 

Do you have any advice for students at the University and other alumni? 

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” so don’t be afraid to ask for help. We say “it takes a village” to raise a child, but it also takes a village to reach your goals. You will need a strong support system and a lot of resilience. Most importantly, you need to believe in yourself and show everyone else why they should believe in you too.