Former Bury St Edmunds for Black Lives chairman Stephen Higgins remembered as a ‘powerful activist’

Tributes have been paid to the former leader of a Bury St Edmunds community group who has been remembered as a ‘driving force’ and ‘powerful activist’.

Stephen Higgins, former chairman of Bury St Edmunds for Black Lives (BSE4BL), died aged 47 last week.

Stephen became involved in the group when it was first set up by founder Evelyn Polk in 2020, after the death of George Floyd in America sparked protests around the world.

He worked with the group to deliver assemblies and workshops in schools across the town, helped plan events and spoke up about his experience of microaggression as a patient at West Suffolk Hospital.

Evelyn Polk said: “As a person he was just really nice. He was warm and easy to talk to.

“To work with he was a driving force for a lot of the programmes in schools. He was always a professional – he was amazing.

“He had a real gift at speaking in public and people really responded so well to him. He really put people at ease even if it was a difficult subject to be talking about.”

Stephen was instrumental in planning both years of the group’s Sounds of Colour event this year and last year and performed with his band Rebel Unit, a 12-piece reggae band.

He also became involved with the Patients’ Voice Board and the Future Systems Board at West Suffolk Hospital following a complaint he made after staff perceived his distress as him being aggressive.

Arisha Tagoe-Jaquez, current chair, added: “The work Stephen did in the group was immense. His impact reached far and wide. He captured every audience he spoke in front of from start to finish.

“His want for change was so impactful and his resilience to push through and do the work whilst dealing with personal battles was inspiring to me.

“He was a powerful activist and he’ll never been forgotten for the change I know he made. He will always be remembered.”

Stephen was also passionate about music, videography and acting.