Newman students’ Union stands with black lives matter. Following the murder of George Floyd by Police officers in Minneapolis, America has said enough is enough and wants to take action against the racist systems which have allowed this to happen. People across the world have all come together in the fight to stand up and say black lives matter and stand up against racism and injustices. You should not have to live in fear because of the colour of your skin... WE REFUSE TO BE SILENT ON THIS ISSUE! Black Lives Matter was founded in 2013 in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer. Black Lives Matter Foundation, is a global organisation 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. We need to listen, we need to learn, we need to act. In the UK, black people are 40x more likely to be stopped by the police (The Guardian, 2019). In 2018/19, 76% of hate crimes in England & Wales were racially motivated hate crimes (Home Office, 2019). This country and its higher education system are built on white privilege. If you can’t see this, it’s likely because you have never had to consider that the colour of your skin puts you before others. Not through a fault of your own, but through a society built on racism and injustice. Our Pledges...To do our part, as Vice-President I am bringing forward seven pledges that the Students' Union will commit to. We believe in action, not words, and I will strive to ensure that we continue to work with our students to ensure that we are striving for Equality and Diversity. Our pledges are:
What Can I do to Support the Movment?You can educate yourself. It isn’t the responsibility of Black people to have to endlessly explain the racism they experience and what you can do to help. There are plenty of resources, books and articles you can read. Ideas of where to start can be found here: (https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/black-lives-matter-reading-list) Below I have listed many resources for you to read and educate yourselves from. The New Jim Crow: mass incarceration in the age of colour blindness Michelle Alexander So you want to talk about race Ijeoma Olou The Next American Revolution: sustainable activism for the twenty first century Grace Lee Boggs Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race Reni Eddo-Lodge Other Useful ResourcesA guide to understanding white privilege https://www.instagram.com/p/B9DfahhBChU/ Charities and funds Black Lives Matter The Bail Project The Liberty Fund Reclaim the Block I Run With Maud Campaign Zero Unicorn Riot American Civil Liberties Union Stand Up To Racism UK Petitions to sign Justice for George Floyd Justice for Ahmaud Arbery Justice for Belly Mujinga Books, Articles and Resources to Read
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May 2022
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