Vaughan Gething identifies as “a Welshman born in Zambia,” with his roots tracing back to his father, a veterinarian hailing from the Vale of Glamorgan in south Wales, and his mother, a Zambian chicken farmer.
Their union blossomed in southern Africa, where his parents encountered racial prejudice upon relocating to Britain.
Inspired by his newspaper delivery rounds, which exposed him to articles about Nelson Mandela, Gething joined the Labour party at 17.
He pursued higher education at Aberystwyth and Cardiff universities, subsequently making history as the first Black president of the National Union of Students Wales.
His journey led him to a career as a trade union lawyer, embodying a commitment to social justice and equality.
Gething, who celebrated his 50th birthday on Friday, etched his name in history in 2013 as the first Black minister in any of the devolved nations.
Ascending the ministerial ranks, he has served in key roles including health and, most recently, economy minister.
His journey has been marked by challenges. Amidst the Covid crisis, Gething faced scrutiny when a photograph emerged of him enjoying chips in a park with his family during lockdown, triggering backlash dubbed “chipgate.” Despite asserting adherence to guidelines, the incident tarnished his image.
This week, Gething encountered further hurdles during the UK Covid inquiry when he revealed the loss of all his WhatsApp messages from the pandemic period due to a “security rebuild” of his Senedd phone.
In an interview, Gething expressed his desire to be assessed based on his merit rather than his skin color. But, he said:
“You can’t deny the historic nature of it. I think I should win because I’m the best candidate. I’ve got loads of experience. I’ve got values rooted in our movement.
I was a trade union shop steward, Wales TUC [Trades Union Congress] president, had 10 years as an employment lawyer and I have a vision for the future. But if I win, the fact that I’ll be the first Black leader of any European nation is a matter of historic significance.”
In a poignant moment last September, Vaughan Gething’s significance as a role model was underscored during an emotional visit to Birmingham, Alabama.
Representing Wales at the 60th anniversary of the racist bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church, where four Black girls tragically lost their lives, Gething’s presence resonated deeply.
The people of Wales rallied to support the church’s restoration efforts by raising funds for a stained glass window depicting a Black Christ.
Reflecting on the experience, Gething recalled the palpable astonishment when he took the stage to address the audience, having rehearsed for the momentous occasion in a Greek Orthodox church in Cardiff.
He noted the audible gasp that echoed through the room, emphasizing the profound impact of his unexpected presence, even in a predominantly Black city like Birmingham.
As part of his leadership campaign, Gething vowed to establish the Mari Rees Fund, paying tribute to a Black Welsh Labour candidate for the Senedd elections in 2011.
“She died a month before the election. She would have been fantastic. The fund will pay for training and development for Black, Asian and minority ethnic members to help them progress within Labour and stand in elections,” he said.
“I think our Senedd needs to do more to look like our country.”
Gething is not a Welsh speaker but he is learning.
“I think it would be great to have a learner in the first minister’s office,” he said.
“We have this target of reaching a million Welsh speakers. To get to a million we need more people like me, people who are learning, showing the language is really there for all of us, it’s not there to exclude people. It’s something for all of us to be proud of.”
