We’ve been watching the news unfold in front of us, the various events that have taken place over the last few weeks. We are moved, saddened, shocked and angry. We stand with the Black Lives Matter protesters and support those in America fighting for justice for the murder of George Floyd, and we support the action to tackle the intolerable problem of police brutality in the United States against unarmed black men and women.
We are moved and inspired by the commitment, strength and passion of protesters, groups and organisations across the world seeking another way towards justice and change. Racism remains a pervasive disease in society. Many, many individuals and communities in the UK still suffer greatly from racism and racial inequality, discrimination and hate crime.
We stand in solidarity with those speaking out against Racism.
Heart & Parcel was founded to equip migrant communities living in the UK who require English language, better and meaningful access to English language provision. Many of the women we work with experience everyday systemic racism and discrimination on a daily basis, through their neighbours, their employers, the media, local services, college education experiences and their landlords. This is an everday existence for many people. But it goes unnoticed. Racism and racial inequality has become normalised. To say that racism does not exist in UK society anymore is a gross oversight to the lived realities of many citizens and individuals living in the UK today.
Most specifically at the moment with COVID19 bringing these inequalities to the surface, with BAME communities suffering more than any other community on the UK from COVID19, not to mention the the rise of racialised hate crime towards East Asian communities in the UK since the pandemic started.
At Heart & Parcel we have a responsibility to stand up to Racism, to actively educate and engage ourselves and others around us. Our entire project was built with equality, equity, inclusion and diversity as our aims to support and engage with migrant communities in and around Manchester. These are aims. Not achievements. It is a process. And it is messy. It’s OK to get things wrong. As long as we can learn from them. We can all do better.
Tackling Racism is very very difficult, but we all have to try. Unlearn racism. Unlearn implicit bias. Unlearn those stereotypes that were built to divide and conquer groups and communities. Take action. Enable space for open and honest dialogue. Read widely and critically. Take small steps within your locality, your friends, your family, your community. Sign petitions. Donate if you can to organisations supporting BAME communities and tackling racism. Here is a list of simple actions to get you started.
We as a society can gain a monumental amount from supporting persistant demonstrations and directly addressing structural and institutional racism. There is a better way to be. We have to ask ourselves: what have we got to lose?
We stand in solidarity with those tackling Racism, racial inequality and discrimination.
#Blacklivesmatter
