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A time to reflect and take a stand

This weekend (21 March) is the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The theme this year is 鈥榊outh Standing up Against Racism鈥� and it encourages people to continue to stand up against racial prejudice and intolerant attitudes.

Zoulika Lamamra is a Senior Lecturer in Marketing at 海角直播, Co-Chair of the University鈥檚 Ethnicity, Faith and Belief Focus Group and an Equality Officer for the Universities and College Union (UCU). Here she gives her views about the day, what it means and why it is so significant.

鈥淲ith all that has happened in the last year, issues surrounding race and equality have been pushed to the forefront of the public鈥檚 consciousness and it does feel like we are at a pivotal moment in terms of understanding the impact of racism, raising awareness and instigating change.

UN International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is a significant day which is marked globally and calls on all of us to stand up against racial prejudice and intolerant attitudes which can be so damaging to individuals and societies.

This year鈥檚 theme is 鈥榊outh Standing up Against Racism鈥�, which feels particularly poignant. For generations it has been young people who have been the driving force behind societal changes 鈥� leading the way in the fight for social justice through activism and a desire to instigate positive change.

That is where Universities can play an important role. Universities are sanctuaries of learning, self-discovery, debate and empowerment. They are places where young people can come together to highlight important issues and instigate change. Change starts with acceptance of the existence of an issue, and debate is the foundation of enlightenment which can bring such issues to the fore.

I am proud to work for 海角直播, which is an inclusive institution with a long-standing commitment to equality and diversity.

From what I have seen, students and staff feel empowered to stand against discrimination, harassment and prejudice of any kind. Important initiatives, such as the Race at Work Charter, have been put in place to help improve outcomes for BAME employees and demonstrate a commitment to equality and inclusion.

As well as being a UCU Equality Officer, my role at 海角直播 also enables me to Co-Chair the University鈥檚 Ethnicity, Faith and Belief Focus Group - an open and honest forum for discussion and debate.

UN International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is an important time to reflect and raise awareness - locally, nationally and internationally.

Racism is deeply rooted in our history and, despite countless attempts to eradicate it, is still occurring and damaging millions of lives in the twenty first century.

It thrives in ignorance and fear and, although overt racism has been fought for centuries, a more resilient and ubiquitous strand continues to be prevalent.

Racism鈥檚 subtle nature impedes our capacity to recognise it and unconscious biases are often rooted in the language people use. People don鈥檛 always consciously intend to perpetuate racist stereotypes, but what can sometimes simply be viewed as a genuine or innocent comment, can cause serious and damaging harm. Unconscious bias is often likened to a death by a thousand cuts; each cut taken individually doesn鈥檛 necessarily hurt but the cumulating effect can be significant. Words have power. By acknowledging that racism can be constructed by language, we can also concede that it can be deconstructed through the same means.

Feeling uncomfortable is normal and should be accepted as the first step in adjusting conscious and unconscious bias. Tolerance is no longer sufficient, as it can be taken away as easily as it is granted.

Peoples鈥� worth and legitimacy should never be defined by their skin colour, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or gender identification. Capabilities, competencies, performance, personal values and humanity should be the criteria used when evaluating individuals鈥� aptitudes and relevance.

We live in a multicultural society and this diversity strengthens our societal DNA, resulting in a stronger societal immune system. Diversity feeds into every single fibre of our society and humanity. If we are all to prosper we need to come together and acknowledge our right to be treated with fairness and dignity.

There is no time for divisiveness - the #BlackLivesMatter movement, sparked by the killing of George Floyd, led to a great awakening last year, igniting a generation to stand up again racism and discrimination and sparking a global movement for change.

But there is still much to be done.鈥�

is on Sunday 21 March, with a national, virtual, event taking place the day before where people can join others to stand up against racism.

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