Black Lives Matter: Anti-racism resources
On Tuesday 2 June, the WI participated in #BlackOutTuesday, a social media campaign in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. The WI stands in solidarity with Black communities around the world, who face injustice and violence. There is no place for racism in our society and we must work harder to educate ourselves, challenge other people and take action to eradicate inequality.
There are several organisations within the UK, working to tackle racism and it is important that their work and information is publicised, shared widely and engaged with.
Show Racism the Red Card
Show Racism the Red Card is an anti-racism education charity, established in England in January 1996 to harness the high-profile nature of footballers as anti-racist role models to educate against racism throughout society in the United Kingdom.
Runnymede
Runnymede is the UK's leading independent race equality think tank. It generates intelligence to challenge racial inequality in Britain through research, network building, leading debate, and policy engagement.
https://www.runnymedetrust.org/
Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust
The Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust aims to be a fitting legacy to Stephen’s memory and to make a real impact by:
- Supporting young people to transform their lives by overcoming disadvantage and discrimination and moving into ambitious careers as professionals
- Ensuring businesses can benefit from and are more inclusive of diverse talent throughout their management structures
- Continuing to campaign for fairness and justice, ensuring the lessons learnt from Stephen’s murder are acted upon
https://www.stephenlawrence.org.uk/
Stand Against Racism & Inequality (SARI)
SARI has operated for over 20 years, helping victims of hate crime and discrimination.
Imkaan
Imkaan is a UK wide organisation dedicated to addressing violence against Black and minoritised women and girls.
Southall Black Sisters
Southall Black Sisters, founded in 1979, addresses the needs of Black (Asian & Caribbean) women empowering them to escape poverty and violence. The WI has worked with Southall Black Sisters as part of our No More Violence Against Women campaign.
https://www.southallblacksisters.org.uk/
The Black Curriculum
The Black Curriculum is a social enterprise founded in 2019 by young people to address the lack of Black British history in the UK Curriculum. It believes that by delivering art-focused Black history programmes, providing teacher training and campaigning through mobilising young people, we can facilitate social change.
https://www.theblackcurriculum.com/our-work
Stop Hate UK
Stop Hate UK is a leading national charity working to challenge all forms of Hate Crime and discrimination, based on any aspect of an individual’s identity, providing independent, confidential and accessible reporting and support for victims, witnesses and third parties.
Black Pride
UK Black Pride is Europe’s largest celebration for LGBTQ people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Middle Eastern and Latin American descent. It produces an annual celebration during Pride month, as well as a variety of activities throughout the year in and around the UK, which also promote and advocate for the spiritual, emotional, and intellectual health and wellbeing of the communities it represents.
https://www.ukblackpride.org.uk/
Black Cultural Archives
Black Cultural Archives is the only national heritage centre dedicated to collecting, preserving and celebrating the histories of African and Caribbean people in Britain.
https://blackculturalarchives.org/
Kaleidoscope Trust
Established in 2011, Kaleidoscope Trust works to uphold the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) people in countries around the world where they are discriminated against or marginalised due to their sexual orientation, gender identity and/or gender expression.
https://kaleidoscopetrust.com/
Literature: fiction and non-fiction
As well as engaging with the organisations listed above and learning more about their work, there is a huge range of books available that address racism, which we can use to further our own knowledge on the subject. Here is a selection of both non-fiction and fiction.
- How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
- Me and White Supremacy by Layla F Saad
- Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge
- White Tears/Brown Scars by Ruby Hamad
- Don’t Touch My Hair by Emma Dabiri
- Natives: Race & Class in the Ruins of Empire by Akala
- Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
- Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
- White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
Podcasts
If you are an avid podcast listener, there are several insightful podcasts which discuss racism and being anti-racist.
- ‘Good Ancestor’ hosted by Layla F. Saad
- ‘Black Gals Livin’ hosted by Jas and Vic
- ‘About Race’ with Renni Eddo-Lodge
- ‘No Country for Young Women’ with Sadia Azmat and Monty Onanuga
- '1619' by the New York Times
Campaigns
The WI have been campaigning on issues that matter to members for over 100 years. If you would like to learn more about the campaigns process or submit a resolution, please contact the Public Affairs team at pa@nfwi.org.uk