Zoom
The Ubele Initiative is sharing emerging findings from the ‘Harakati’ research project to feedback, and stimulate a community discussion. We will share some of the recommendations, and explore how they might be implemented to sustain the survival of anti-racist action in the UK.
ABOUT THE RESEARCH
"Harakati" is a name derived from the word “movement” in Swahili and Arabic. The Harakati Project is a short-term exploration of the climate of anti-racist movement infrastructure in the UK to strengthen, expand and sustain anti-racist action.
Key to our research approach was the ability to listen and understand what anti-racist activists, collectives and groups need to strengthen and sustain their survival, particularly in light of current challenges they are facing.
Through the research, we engaged with close to 50 individuals and collectives to listen and learn, to better understand the action they are engaged in and their hopes for the future. The voice of one respondent perhaps sums up one of the challenges that they believe lays ahead:
“The season of racial awakening of 2020 is well and truly over. Now people have posted their Black squares and donated a bit of money, they have lost interest. The Sewell Report told everyone that institutional racism doesn’t exist, creating the perfect excuse to go back to ignoring our voice and return to the status quo of upholding systems, instead of helping us challenge them. Where the allies at?”
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE EVENT?
The ‘Harakati: Sustaining Waves of Resistance’ event will be an online "town-hall" style event, targeted to respondents we engaged with throughout the research, and anyone interested in this discussion.
During the event, we will be centring the knowledge, experiences and expertise of Black and racially minoritised communities in the UK. Whilst anyone can attend to learn more- our conversation is for this community opposing institutional racism, as a priority.
We will be sharing some of the emerging findings from our research to stimulate collective discussion, that will shape key recommendations for policy makers, funders and infrastructure supporting bodies.
The questions we will be focusing on in the main discussion include:
Do the emerging findings resonate with you?
What are your thoughts on our suggested recommendations?
What are your thoughts on how to implement an infrastructure to nourish the survival of anti-racist action in the UK?
What is currently working well?
What mechanisms need to be in place?
Are there areas of concerns we have not yet considered/or should be considering?
The outcome from the session is to feedback to the community we engaged with, stimulate discussion around our findings and recommendations and feed into the final report.
FUNDERS AND SUPPORTERS
Advisory Group: Baljit Banga (Imkaan), Emmanuelle Andrews (Liberty Human Rights), Dr Halima Begum (The Runnymede Trust), Joy Warmington (brap), Nonhlanhla Makuyana (Decolonising Economics), Dr Patrick Vernon OBE (Social Commentator & Windrush Campaigner), Penny Wangari-Jones (The Racial Justice Network) and Raheel Mohammed (Maslaha).
Funders: Lankelly Chase Foundation (Jenny Oppenheimer) and Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust (Ali Torabi).
