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Black History Month
By b.isibor, on 3 October 2023
This blog written by Race Equity Lead, Bilal Malik.
Black History Month was first celebrated in the UK in 1987 to honour and commemorate black history and the lives and experiences of the black diaspora living in the UK. It is, however, important to recognise the power and potential
of diversity and remember to challenge inequalities all year round.
Race is a social construct, and racism is a learned behaviour. As a child of South Asian heritage growing up in Britain, I wasn’t aware I was any different to my white peers until I was explicitly told so. The concept of colour was alien to an eight-year-old child. This behaviour is learned and can be changed, as can the situation where people who would rather stand than sit on the only empty seat on the bus, next to my brother and me going to school. Some may be applied, but this is nothing to what most black and other ethnic minorities endure. However, learned behaviour can be unlearnt, challenging situations, and education is key.
One way to honour Black History Month is by becoming a better ally. Therefore, questioning assumptions, attitudes, and beliefs and being aware of unconscious bias. It’s not enough to be “not being racist”; you must be anti-racist. So, not being a bystander when racism occurs and confronting discrimination makes us anti-racist. Race is a social construct distinguishable from ethnicity. Social constructs can be deconstructed and reconstructed. Consequently, we can transform race inequality.
The real challenge is structural and institutional racism embedded in the system. We need to understand the lack of opportunity that those from diverse ethnic heritage backgrounds still experience and an appreciation of intersectionality concepts and race as a social construct. There is evidence that racism is embedded in AI and algorithms and AI systems that can produce racist outcomes. We know to dismantle institutional racism, bias, and inequity, we need reforms across policing, criminal justice, healthcare, housing, education, employment, and economic systems. These reforms cannot work unless we all work together without perfunctory tokenistic gestures from those in power. I will leave you with a few words by Kendrick Lamar (the song became an anthem and rallying call for the Black Lives Matter movement and protests).
“Alright”
Song by Kendrick Lamar
“Alls my life I has to fight……..
Wouldn’t you know
We been hurt, been down before,
When our pride was low
Lookin’ at the world like, “Where do we go,?”
And we hate po-po
Wanna kill us dead in the street for sure,
I’m at the preacher’s door
My knees gettin’ weak and my gun might blow
But we gon’ be alright
We gon’ be alright
We gon’ be alright
We gon’ be alright
Do you hear me, do you feel me? We gon’ be alright.
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Here are a few links to interesting talks and facts to celebrate the month:
https://www.ted.com/playlists/230/talks_to_celebrate_black_history_month
https://www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk/
https://www.raceequalitymatters.com/black-history-month-2023/
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