Racism isn’t a problem in the UK? Think again.
Educate yourself. Speak up. Be an ally!
UK Charities to support/donate to:
Black Lives Matter
“#BlackLivesMatter was founded in 2013 in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer. Black Lives Matter Foundation, Inc is a global organization in the US, UK, and Canada, whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes. By combating and countering acts of violence, creating space for Black imagination and innovation, and centering Black joy, we are winning immediate improvements in our lives.”
Southall Black Sisters
“We are a group of black and minority women with years of experience of struggling for women’s human rights in the UK. Although based locally, our work has a national reach.
Southall Black Sisters, a not-for-profit, secular and inclusive organisation, was established in 1979 to meet the needs of Black (Asian and African-Caribbean) women. Our aims are to highlight and challenge all forms gender-related violence against women, empower them to gain more control over their lives; live without fear of violence and assert their human rights to justice, equality and freedom”
Runnymede
“Runnymede is the UK’s leading independent race equality think tank. We generate intelligence to challenge race inequality in Britain through research, network building, leading debate, and policy engagement.
Runnymede is working to build a Britain in which all citizens and communities feel valued, enjoy equal opportunities, lead fulfilling lives, and share a common sense of belonging.”
ROTA UK – Race On The Agenda
“Race on the Agenda (ROTA) is one of Britain’s leading social policy think-tanks focusing on issues that affect Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities. Originally set up in 1984, ROTA aims to increase the capacity of BAME organisations and strengthen the voice of BAME communities through increased civic engagement and participation in society.”
Show Racism The Red Card –
“Show Racism the Red Card is the UK’s leading anti-racism educational charity.
We provide educational workshops, training sessions, multimedia packages, and a whole host of other resources, all with the purpose of tackling racism in society. Established in January 1996, the organisation utilises the high-profile status of football and football players to publicise its message. Across Britain, Show Racism the Red Card delivers training to more than 50,000 individuals per year. “
Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust
“We work with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds aged 13 to 30 to inspire and enable them to succeed in the career of their choice. We also influence others to create a fairer society in which everyone, regardless of their background, can flourish.
A lot has changed since Stephen Lawrence’s murder in a racist attack in 1993, but some things have stayed the same. Too many young people still struggle to succeed because they are disadvantaged by factors beyond their control, such as where they are born, the school they go to, or any discrimination they may face.”
SARI – Stand Against Racist and Inequality
“SARI is a charity that relies on financial donations and your support is greatly appreciated. By making a donation, you will:
- Support and empower victims of hate crime to survive the emotional, mental and physical trauma they experience.
- Ensure that hate crime receives a coordinated response from statutory and voluntary agencies.
- Raise awareness of the nature and extent of hate crime through education and training.
- Provide training and guidance on tackling hate crime.
- Participate in formulating and monitoring hate crime policies and procedures, ensuring they work towards combating hate crime.
- In the long term, see a reduction in the number and seriousness of hate crimes.”
Institute of Race Relations
“THE Institute of Race Relations (IRR) was established as an independent educational charity in 1958 to carry out research, publish and collect resources on race relations throughout the world. In 1972, the IRR’s membership backed the staff in a radical transformation of the organisation from a policy-oriented, establishment, academic institution into an anti-racist ‘thinktank’. The IRR began to concentrate on responding to the needs of Black people and making direct analyses of institutionalised racism in Britain and the rest of Europe”
Amnesty International UK
We are Amnesty International UK. We work to protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied.
As a global movement of over seven million people, Amnesty International is the world’s largest grassroots human rights organisation.
We investigate and expose abuses, educate and mobilise the public, and help transform societies to create a safer, more just world. We received the Nobel Peace Prize for our life-saving work.
Stop Hate UK
The organisation started life in 1995 as a service for victims of racial harassment. The project was established in direct response to the murder of Stephen Lawrence.
Liberty Human Rights
Liberty is an independent membership organisation. We challenge injustice, defend freedom and campaign to make sure everyone in the UK is treated fairly.
Black Minds Matter
Black Minds Matter is part of the Wandsworth Community Empowerment Network. We are a non-profit organisation that aims to empower communities to take charge of the change and improvement that they want to see. Black Minds Matter is for anybody aged 13- 25 who is passionate about changing things that will bring about a more equal and just society for all.
Black Minds Matter UK (different to the above)
Our mission is to support in making mental health topics relevant and accessible for all black people in the U.K.
We have put together this organisation, to enable as many black people, to get specialised help. We aim to fulfil this by connecting black individuals and families with professional mental health services across the U.K
HOPE not hate
The British National Party (BNP) was winning substantial votes and local councillors in our northern towns and traditional anti-racism and anti-fascism was failing.
HOPE not hate was established to offer a more positive and engaged way of doing anti-fascism. We prioritised working in communities to town centre demonstrations; we engaged and spoke to local people rather than to ourselves; and we realised that the BNP was tapping into a wider mood of alienation and hardship and it was important to address issues of concern to voters.
Access UK
AccessUK is a charitable organisation that was founded in 2014, as a voice for the million or more youths who are currently unemployed in the UK, particularly Black and Minority Ethnic NEETs (Not in Employment, Education or Training).
Our main objective is to help reduce BME youth unemployment, provide employment and training solutions for youth offenders and implement anti-gang initiatives in the community.
INQUEST
INQUEST is the only charity providing expertise on state related deaths and their investigation to bereaved people, lawyers, advice and support agencies, the media and parliamentarians. Our specialist casework includes deaths in police and prison custody, immigration detention, mental health settings and deaths involving multi-agency failings or where wider issues of state and corporate accountability are in question. This includes work around the Hillsborough football disaster and the Grenfell Tower fire.
Black Thrive
Since the 1950’s Lambeth has been home to the UK’s biggest Black community with people of African and Caribbean origin, making valuable and sustained contributions to the cultural and economic life of the UK. Despite these successes, Lambeth continues to be a borough faced with growing socio-economic inequality which disproportionately affects Black African and Caribbean people. There is evidence to suggest that exposure to the stressors linked to these inequalities negatively impacts one’s physical health and mental wellbeing.
UFFC
The United Families & Friends Campaign (UFFC), is a coalition of those affected by deaths in police, prison and psychiatric custody, supports others in similar situations. Established in 1997 initially as a network of Black families, over recent years the group has expanded and now includes the families and friends of people from varied ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
JCWI – The Joint Council for The Welfare of Immigrants
For more than half a century, JCWI has been challenging policies that lead to discrimination, destitution and the denial of rights. And we’ve been providing much-needed legal and advice services to the people who need them most. We’ve helped tens of thousands of people secure their status, keep their families together and escape poverty. And we’ve consistently been one of the leading voices for a fairer, more just immigration system that works for everyone.
Fundraisers:
The 4Front Project: Youth for Police Accountability & Racial Justice – Go Fund Me
Black Minds Matter UK Go Fund Me– Donate towards therapy and mental health services for Black people within the UK
Exist Loudly Fund to Support Queer Black YP – Go Fund Me
BLM UK Fund – Go Fund Me
Belly Mujinga Go Fund Me
I will update this post when I find more, so check back!
#BlackLivesMatter
https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
Twitter thread by @Theresalkoko of racism in the UK examples
Literary Leisha 