Race, Ethnicity, and Culture
When Robert Jenrick complained that he “didn’t see a white face” in Handsworth, he revealed more about his own worldview than about the community he was criticising. His words betrayed a common political simplification: treating all Black and brown people as one homogeneous mass. But the reality of Handsworth, like so many places across Britain, […]
Integration Isn’t the Problem: Inequality Is Read More »
On Friday 10 October, I was walking to the Friends Meeting House in Manchester to attend a neurodiversity event. As I made my way there, a man ahead of me, focused on his phone, was walking slowly. I stepped slightly to the left to pass him, hoping to avoid being late. In that simple, ordinary
This true story appeared on Facebook this morning. As I read it, I found myself asking some uncomfortable but necessary questions. What type of upbringing did the mother have that made her believe it was acceptable to teach her daughter to be discriminatory and unkind?Why did the daughter not feel able to tell her mother
Everyday Racism: Is It Me? Read More »
A time to reflect and a time to act Two years have passed since the horrific events of 7 October, and the aftershocks are still being felt deeply across Jewish communities in Britain and beyond. What should have been unthinkable has become ordinary.Synagogues have been vandalised, homes defaced, Jewish students harassed, and families assaulted simply
Standing Together Against Antisemitism: Two Years On Read More »
Introduction: A Personal Reflection As a mixed-race Caribbean and Chinese woman, my experience of racism has been both personal and systemic. I grew up in a community where my family was one of only two ethnically diverse families. At primary school, I was one of just three Black children. In my professional life, I was
Foreword Silence is not neutral. Across every sector — from employers and schools to councils, charities, and the police — we must create spaces for courageous conversations about discrimination. Checking in with staff and volunteers is not a tick-box exercise but an act of accountability and leadership. This post explores what each sector must do,
Why Courageous Conversations on Discrimination Matter in Every Sector Read More »
Systemic racism doesn’t always announce itself through slurs or laws. More often, it operates through the quiet but corrosive power of stereotypes. Black men are too often cast as “dangerous” or “angry.” Black women are labelled “loud,” “aggressive,” or reduced to the trope of the “strong Black woman.” These labels might seem casual to some,
When Good Morning Britain presenter Adil Ray revealed he had received threats from online trolls, he called it “deeply concerning”. He is far from alone. The UK is witnessing an escalation of online hostility, and the truth is sobering trolling has consequences not only for individuals but for workplaces, reputations, and society as a whole.
When the Trolls Turn Real: Building Respect and Accountability in Our Digital Lives Read More »
Children as young as four are being sent home from school for racist behaviour, a statistic that should alarm us all. Recent Department for Education figures show suspensions for racist behaviour have more than doubled since 2021, with incidents rising from 7,403 to over 15,000 last year. Disturbingly, some of these involve Reception-aged pupils who
Why Tackling Racism in Schools Must Start Early Read More »
Across the UK, the presence of police officers in schools has become a point of significant debate. Many authorities introduced school-based officers to improve safety and community engagement. Yet, increasing evidence shows these arrangements often appear in areas with ethnically diverse and economically disadvantaged populations, raising concerns about disproportionate policing and unintended harm to students.
