Education and Awareness

We believe that eradicating overt and covert racism starts with education. We advocate the teaching of black history and other ethnic histories in our schools; the incomplete narrative currently being taught props up white supremacy. We know that the United Kingdom’s wealth and imperialism was built by white people, enslaved black people during the transatlantic slave trade between 1662 – 1807 and many others. 

Every child in the United Kingdom deserves to learn the full context of their history. The current curriculum does not support children in learning that every person, regardless of the colour of their skin, is equal. The current curriculum contributes to creating a divisive society, robbing our children of the truth of our shared history, thereby serving to support ongoing inequalities and injustices. Therefore, we seek to work with nurseries, schools, and other educational providers in York and the surrounding areas. Our ambition is to ensure children are provided with opportunities to learn from and engage with diverse story-telling by diverse authors.

Racism is abhorrent. We must recognise that it is a life-altering experience that requires immediate action to create safe and open learning environments for our children in our schools. Our goal is to be involved in creating honest dialogues on the effects of racism and being part of conversations in finding solutions on the deep-rooted issues of racial inequalities.

If you want to know more about our work, please email us at education@speakupdiversity.org

BAME Representation in Decision and Policy-Making

Ingrained and entrenched structural and institutional racism has deeply affected our parents, families, friends and our children and still equity and equality are not being levelled. Evidence shows that Black people are more likely to be stopped and searched by the Police. The coronavirus pandemic has clearly demonstrated that healthcare workers and patients from BAME backgrounds are disproportionately dying from this disease.

Urgent action is needed: With a network of Black, Asian and other ethnicities in York, we want to continue to build a strong and powerful network representing the voices of BAME communities to influence decision-making. We want to strive for an equal playing ground for all and challenge policies that disproportionately discriminate against people of colour.

If you identify yourself as Black, Asian or from another ethnic minority group and believe in the power of our collective voice, please Join us to create a powerful network wherever you are in the UK.  We have to be the change that we want to see for ourselves and for the next generation.

Our Offering for Diversity in Workplace and Decision-Making

Numerous research studies have shown that equality, diversity and inclusion are vital to the long-term success of businesses. Our 3P model empowers and enables us to work with organisations in identifying areas of diversity that they want to focus on in creating a diverse and positive change for the betterment of business objectives and for their employees, customers and consumers.

Speak Up Diversity’s 3P Model

 

Email Us: bame-representation@speakpdiversity.org

Policy Solutions

Speak Up Diversity aims to review policies that impact the socioeconomics of people such as such as policing, healthcare and education. We want to work with local governments to ensure policies do not discriminate against people of colour. In order to achieve real change and end structural racism, we must address current policies that inhibit people of colour to stand on equal footing.

Email us: policysolutions@speakupdiversity.org

Tackling Racial Incidents in our Schools and Workplaces

People who have witnessed or experienced racism can report racist hate crimes to the police for investigation. However, many egregious racial offences that do not qualify as “hate crimes” are difficult to identify and more difficult to prove, such as implicit bias. There are millions of people in the UK experiencing racial incidents in our schools and workplaces, but many are faced with lack of safe platforms in their institutions to report the incidents and often are not believed. This area requires serious work to protect people. We have opened dialogues and initiated projects towards tackling the issue of racial incidents in our schools and workplaces. If you would like to know more about our work or wish to join us, please get in touch.

Email us: racial-incidents@speakupdiversity.org