Malaika Parillon Langlais Baron holding the flag depicting her winning design

A Year 9 Hackney schoolgirl has her artwork flying over the borough’s town hall after winning a competition to design a flag to mark Black History Month.

Malaika Parillon Langlais Baron, from Urswick School, beat teenagers from 75 schools to win the prize. Judges said they chose her flag because of its vibrant and distinctive design. It depicts a black woman with the initials B,H and M picked out in her hair in yellow.

She said: “I feel a sense of pride seeing my flag design fly over the town hall.

“I hope it will draw attention to black history and inspire others.” 

The Executive Head teacher of the school, Richard Brown, said: “It will be fantastic to see a flag designed by an Urswick student flying proudly from the town hall during this month.” 

Brown considers this to be one of the most important parts of the school year since it celebrates the hard work that the black community has and will be doing.  

Councillor Clare Potter said: “This flag represents Hackney and the contribution that African and Caribbean communities have made both locally and across the globe. 

“Malaika’s highly creative design embodies a sense of pride and is an important symbol of the borough and for our Black History celebrations.” 

Numerous events have been organised in Hackney for Black History Month, many of them free of charge.