Reading, UK –From fleeing a life uprooted by conflict to becoming the first Black woman mayor of Reading, the extraordinary journey of Dr. Alice Mpofu-Coles is one of resilience, service, and deep-rooted compassion. Her appointment is not just symbolic. It signals a shift — in how refugees are seen, how migrants contribute, and how inclusion can become leadership.

Arriving in the UK as a refugee, Dr. Mpofu-Coles turned adversity into activism. “I arrived broken, like every refugee. I lost everything. But I continued with dignity and went on,” she shared during her emotional inauguration speech.

A Zimbabwean-born scholar and community leader with a PhD in Human Geography, she has dedicated her life to inclusion, justice, and empowering the marginalised. From working with the NHS during her battle with cancer to championing refugee rights, her story is one of resilience and rising.

With numerous awards for her academic and humanitarian work, Dr. Mpofu-Coles stands as a symbol of hope, dignity, and what it truly means to lead with compassion.

Dr. Mpofu-Coles’ leadership is steeped in gratitude. “I thank Almighty God for the grace He has given me in my life. Thanks to the residents of Reading for voting for me in 2021, ’22, and ’23. I’m profoundly grateful to the wider residents of Reading for welcoming me.”

She has promised to dedicate her time “to serving the people diligently at all times.” With a voice that speaks for the displaced, the marginalised, and the hopeful, Mayor Alice Mpofu-Coles now stands not only as a leader but as a living testament to what resilience can become when embraced by opportunity.