Everyone at Forum Central and its partners Volition and Leeds Older People’s Forum proudly support root out racism, the anti-racism movement launched today by West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership (WY&H HCP).

The movement is part of an ongoing commitment to tackle structural and institutionalised racism, as well as addressing health and social inequalities across the area. It was co-created by over 100 WY&H HCP ethnic minority colleagues to proactively challenge racism across all aspects of society.

Linda Glew, Leeds Older People’s Forum

Pip Goff, Volition

Karl Witty, Volition

Evidence built from colleagues’ insight shows that people from ethnic minority backgrounds continue to face health inequalities and discrimination in their communities and workplace.

Comments include:

“Racism started before I was even born. It’s always been there, having to work twice as hard, always working harder to be seen, to feel visible; not as valued as your White colleagues and that just became a standard.”

 “I’m getting way more stares, people looking at you just because of your skin tone. I’m being faced with racism from kids who are 5-6 years old. Of all the racism I’ve encountered, that’s probably the most shocking, the racism coming from kids.”

 “Stereotypes, assumptions that are made about me as a Black man, professionally or socially. Simple things like when I go on a bus, being the last person to be sat next to, or when the cashier puts the change into people’s hands but when it comes to you, she puts it on the counter.”

Together we can Root Out Racism. To join us, register online at http://ow.ly/lWB250FBmYt. To find out more, including how to access the free resources, visit  https://www.wyhpartnership.co.uk/rootoutracism

#WYHRootOutRacism

Leaders across Leeds standing in solidarity to root out racism