Photo by James Eades on Unsplash
It’s been over a week since the UK riots began. Not long after I wrote a piece for Third Sector about why the riots need to be a turning point in how charities fight racism. It has been heartening to see how it has struck a chord with so many people.
And it was really positive to see thousands of anti-fascist protesters taking to the streets last week on a night which many feared would lead to more violence. The swift action of the government, police and the justice system has undoubtedly been a deterrent.
However, the UK is still on high alert for further violence. And what makes this situation so complex is it feels like a cocktail of new and old threats. Some of the far right violence echoes what I saw growing up in the 1980s in South East London, which became the focus of activity by the National Front, and was also where Stephen Lawrence was murdered in 1993.
The evolving face of racism
There are new elements to the present day threat that show us racism is a virus which keeps mutating. Social media was instrumental in fuelling the riots, with Musk and others fanning the flames. Digital has become one of the battlelines where the fight against racism will be fought, and this will only become more complex as Artificial Intelligence advances. We must combat racism on and offline.
So yes, things are more peaceful on the streets, and I’m grateful for that. In the media coverage, and the work conversations I’ve been having this week, there is a sense of people moving on. That is not the case for the people of colour I have been speaking to. If you can move on easily from the riots you are in a position of privilege.
What’s changed for people of colour
Amongst the people of colour I know something fundamental has shifted. My social media timelines are full of people of colour checking in on each other and their loved ones, saying that they still feel on edge, and that they are looking over their shoulders. Our sense of freedom and safety has been eroded and it will take a long time to return.
A few days after the riots my husband and I (we both have Asian heritage) were walking to the shops when we noticed a man staring at us with a look of pure aggression. He didn’t say anything, but it was unnerving. I felt my husband’s hand tighten protectively over mine.We walked on and went to the supermarket, telling each other that the man was probably just drunk.
It was a fleeting moment which was something and nothing. And it’s this lens of hypervigilance through which people of colour will be assessing everyday interactions.
What was so sobering about the riots is that people of colour have seen that there is a small minority of people in this country who don’t want us here, and are prepared to commit violence to stop that happening. And that has been one of the unpalatable truths of the last week.That however hard I work, no matter what I do to contribute to society, there are people who don’t want me or my family in this country. I can’t outrun racism.
This is frightening and disorientating. I was born and raised in the UK and see myself as British. I’m also a second generation immigrant with mixed Chinese/English heritage. I’m married to someone with a similar story, with Indian/Scottish heritage. I have seen first hand how people of colour from older generations faced racism when building a life in the UK. I thought those days were gone.
Multiculturalism is at the heart of the most significant relationships in my life, from my parents to my children and my partner. And for that reason I have always associated multiculturalism with love, and resilience.
Judging by the huge turnouts for the anti fascist protests last week there will be many people across the UK who think like this. The question is: how do we co-exist in a society with those who are vehemently opposed to our views?
Racism past and present
I’ve written before about the racism and sexism I have encountered as a woman of colour working in the tech for good space. Recently I wrote about some of the discrimination I have faced as a woman in AI. I have seen how some people are happy to support the inclusion agenda in front of others, but are not true allies behind the scenes.
Before the riots, I had made my peace with it all, resigning myself to the fact that I would encounter discrimination periodically, but it was far outweighed by the positive experiences I had. I thought I had the tools to handle it. Now I realise that a different approach is needed.
The riots represent the threats we face in our present and our future, but they also remind us of the violence we faced before. I have heard from people of colour who are now re-evaluating their past experiences. Maybe it was racist bullying at primary school, or in a previous job. Some of us are recognising the weight of the memories we carry, and it feels like heavy cargo.
This is the deepest cut racism inflicts. It is the lies we tell ourselves every day, as a coping mechanism, to protect ourselves from what we know to be true. The times I told myself that it was just paranoia, that I needed to be stronger. All the times I told myself it wasn’t racism. But now, clear as day, in the light of the riots, I realise it probably was.
Why we need a new approach
The riots are a wake up call to the UK, and our sector. They’ve shown us, in the starkest terms, that racism isn’t just a problem for people of colour. It’s tearing at the fabric of our entire society. From the violence on our streets to the burning of our community spaces, we’ve all lost something. And if we’re honest with ourselves, we know the true cost of racism goes far beyond what we can measure.
As someone who’s worked in the charity sector for years, I’ve seen how we need to do more on inclusion. It’s time we owned this and committed to real change. Here are 5 things I would love to see every organisation do.
- Look in the mirror: Every organisation needs to take a hard look at how they might be perpetuating racism, even unintentionally.
- Put our money where our mouth is: We need to invest properly in anti-racism work. It can’t be an afterthought in our budgets.
- Be accountable: Set clear goals for improving inclusion and be transparent about our progress – or lack thereof.
- Amplify diverse voices: We need to actively seek out create space for the perspectives of those most affected by racism. It’s not enough to just invite people to the table – we need to hand over the microphone.
- Partner with anti-racism experts and organisations. There are lots of amazing people in our sector who can help, who are doing brilliant anti-racism work including Srabani Sen of Full Colour, Anj Handa of Inspiring Women Changemakers, Martha Awojobi and Jon Cornejo of JMB Consulting, Collette Phillip of Brand By Me and Nathan Nalla of Be The Riot .
Some of you might be thinking, “Haven’t we heard all this before?” And you’re right, we have.The time for half-measures and token gestures has passed. If we can’t see how urgent this is after last week’s events, then when will we?