Palma Black

Personal Info

Palma Black is an award-winning social entrepreneur, visionary community leader, and Personal Performance Coach whose work sits at the intersection of racial justice, community empowerment, and Black women’s liberation.

Transitioning from a science background at Imperial College London to social justice, Palma’s early activism helped drive landmark changes that made racial harassment a criminal offence in the UK. She was a founding member of the Anti-Racist Alliance and played a pivotal role in establishing the Stephen Lawrence Family Campaign in 1993.

Grounding her methodology in the principles of coaching research, Palma integrates over three decades of community engagement experience with formal training from the Coaching Academy. As the Founder and CEO of Soul Purpose 360 CIC, she channels this expertise into a member-led social enterprise that empowers Black women to discover their life’s purpose and transition from feeling overburdened to living fulfilled lives.

Palma designed Soul Purpose 360, evolving in 2025, with the acquisition of ‘Soul-Full,’ a five-storey wellness hub, co-working space, and creative workshop in Croydon, entirely owned and managed by Black women.

Concurrently serving as Associate Director and Head of Community Engagement for EDAROTH (AtkinsRéalis), Palma’s extraordinary leadership has earned her numerous accolades. Recent honours include the 2024 Woman Changing the World Coach of the Year, the 2025 Croydon Civic Mayor Award for lifelong commitment to equality, and recognition as a 2026 Big Issue Changemaker.