For more than 30 years, Michele Ross has worked in education, supporting people to learn, grow and build better futures. As a manager at Liverpool Adult Learning Service, her work is rooted in a belief that education can change lives. For Black History Month, Michele reflects on her family’s connection to Liverpool, the strength of its Black communities and her hopes for the next generation.
Some connections to Liverpool go back generations. For Michele, that connection is written into the very walls of the school where she works today.
Michele, a manager at Liverpool Adult Learning Service, has worked in education for more than 30 years. Her family’s history in the city stretches back even further. Her grandmother was born at the beginning of the twentieth century on Tagus Street in L8 and attended the same school where Michele now works. It is a remarkable connection between past and present, reflecting how education, family and community can shape lives across generations.
“I believe education is the key to an inspired life, and a good education is passed through the generations,” Michele says.
Making a difference through education
For Michele, education has always been about more than qualifications. It is about helping people recognise their potential and access opportunities that can change the course of their lives. She believes people thrive when they feel supported, included and valued. That belief has kept community work central to her career.
“For me, it has always been about more than delivering a service. It’s about building relationships, listening to people and helping to create opportunities that can make a real difference to their lives,” she says.
It is this commitment to people and their potential that makes Michele’s work so important. Whether helping someone develop new skills or supporting them to take their next step, education can open doors that might otherwise remain closed.
A changing Liverpool, with a resilient community
Having spent decades working in education and communities, Michele has witnessed significant changes across Liverpool. Through those changes, she believes the strengths of Liverpool’s Black communities have remained constant. “Perseverance, resilience, independence and the ability to rise above adversity and racism and achieve,” she says.
For Michele, recognising Black history means recognising the contributions Black people have made to Liverpool, from the city’s past to the present day. Black communities have helped shape Liverpool’s history, prosperity and identity. Michele believes their contributions deserve proper recognition, alongside a commitment to ensuring fairness and equality today.
The people and values that shape us
Ask Michele what community means to her, and her answer is simple: being part of a larger family or group with shared values and interests. That sense of connection also extends to her own family, whose achievements she speaks about with pride. Her son served in the Royal Air Force before retiring, receiving decorations during his service. He went on to work as a firefighter for many years, eventually becoming Head of Firefighter Training for Merseyside. Her grandson has also followed a path into firefighting. Their achievements are a source of great pride for Michele, reflecting the different ways people can serve and contribute to their communities.
Honouring our communities
This year’s Black History Month theme, Honouring Our Communities, is about recognising the people who make a difference in our neighbourhoods, families and learning communities. For Michele, that recognition matters. It means acknowledging the contributions of different communities and celebrating the people who work to make life better for others, including those whose efforts may not always receive public attention.
Her message to younger people who want to make a difference is equally direct. “Get involved!” It is a simple invitation to take part, contribute and recognise that everyone has something to offer.
A fairer future for Liverpool
Looking ahead, Michele hopes future generations will grow up in a city where everyone feels they belong and has the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their background or circumstances. She wants to see a Liverpool that is fairer, kinder and more inclusive, where education continues to open doors and people are supported to fulfil their potential.
It is a hope that reflects the values running through her career: opportunity, inclusion and the belief that investing in people benefits everyone. From her grandmother’s childhood in L8 to her own work in adult learning today, Michele’s story is a reminder that communities are built across generations, through the opportunities people create for one another and the support they offer along the way.
This year’s Black History Month theme, Honouring Our Communities, means recognising the people who make a difference in our neighbourhoods, families and workplaces. Michele’s story is a reminder that the work we do every day can have an impact beyond our immediate roles. By helping people develop their skills, supporting their ambitions and creating opportunities, we can contribute to a stronger city for generations to come.
This Black History Month, we celebrate Michele as one of our everyday heroes, and recognise the difference that dedication to education, opportunity and community can make.
