Neandra Etienne remembers Ray Lewis, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Eastside Young Leaders’ Academy

Ray Lewis, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Eastside Young Leaders’ Academy (EYLA), passed away during the Easter bank holiday weekend.

EYLA, based in Forest Gate and established in 2002 for Black boys at risk of school exclusion, sent hundreds of disadvantaged children to elite public schools in an attempt to address racial inequality.

Ray was once quoted as saying: “For too long, Black people have had to wait to receive crumbs from the Master’s table. I want to support a generation to believe they can sit at that table.”

Ray’s aim to achieve equality involved securing private school scholarships for his Black Saturday school students living in Newham.

Patrick Derham, a former headmaster of Rugby and Westminster School, said: “Meeting Ray changed my life. He was a visionary who helped so many young people believe in themselves and to be agents of change in their communities and beyond. His legacy will live on.”

Over 270 of the youngsters he helped attend the likes of Eton, Rugby and Stowe. Three former Rugby School pupils and one who attended Wellington College returned to EYLA to sit on the board, and one is now chair of trustees.

EYLA’s co-founder Anne Collard and head of programmes Carol Murraine said: “Ray was not just the founder of EYLA, he was a friend and father figure to many and will be deeply missed. His legacy and light will live on through his family and the young leaders who he inspired and challenged to be the best that they can be. We will now look to them to lead us forward.”

EYLA is also the inspiration behind Boarders, a BBC fictional six-part drama series about five under-privileged Black students from innercity London, who have been awarded a scholarship at an elite boarding school. Daniel Lawrence Taylor, Boarders’ creator, writer and executive producer, was initially inspired by a 2018 Sunday Times Magazine article written by Sharon Hendry, about the Eastside Young Leaders Academy scholarship scheme. The soundtrack features music from Newham musicians Guvna B and D Double E.

No news is bad news

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.