Claudine Carter Pereira studied extensively with the Joffrey Ballet School before she put her dance career on the "back-burner" to pursue a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from Loyola College in Maryland and later a Master of Science Degree in Forensic Science from Virginia Commonwealth University. Despite her change in career path, she continued dancing throughout graduate school at both Virginia Commonwealth University and Richmond Ballet. Known as the "Forensic Ballerina," Carter Pereira is currently the Director of the Broward Sheriff's Office Crime Laboratory. She attributes many of her successes in life to lessons learned in ballet class and shares that it is possible to pursue an alternative career and yet still maintain your passion for the arts.

Windrush Day, officially recognised by the UK government since 2018, is commemorated annually on 22 June to mark the arrival of the SS Empire Windrush in 1948. This date has become a powerful symbol of the Caribbean community's establishment in the UK. Established in 2020, Serendipity's Annual Windrush Day Lecture addresses the ongoing need for deep reflection and contextualisation against the backdrop of significant contemporary issues, including Black Lives Matter, Brexit, the Windrush Scandal, and the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Black communities. The lecture creates a platform for esteemed thinkers, writers and educators to amplify the narrative of Black presence, persistence and resistance in the UK whilst unpacking the complex realities of British-Caribbean connections. Previous speakers have included Professor Stephen Small, Dr Beverley Bryan, Professor Gus John, Gary Younge, and Professor Lisa-Dionne Morris, offering diverse and impactful insights into the Windrush legacy. This Year's Lecture: Professor Verene A Shepherd Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage is proud to welcome Professor Verene A Shepherd, a distinguished historian, professor of social history at the University of the West Indies, and one of the Caribbean's leading advocates for non-discrimination, gender justice and racial equality. Shepherd is Chair of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and one of the leading voices calling for restorative justice for the Caribbean. Join us for an evening of thought-provoking discourse led by one of the Caribbean's most renowned voices.