Anti-black Racism — Meaningful Actions

It’s regretful that I have to write this post with a sombre tone, however, I would be remiss if I failed to acknowledge the following. The last several days have been a very dark period for black people — in the US, but also here in the UK, and for that matter, black people worldwide.

A large part of YSYS’ mission speaks to the existence of inequality in our society. In our capacity we address the inequality in access to opportunities and resources for underrepresented groups currently or aspiringly working within the London tech and startup space. With that said, we are an organisation and team that primarily serves a community of black people and other peoples of colour.

As such, we are struck with a collective grief when we hear about the experiences of anti-blackness and police brutality that our brothers and sisters across the Atlantic continuously, and virally endure — not out of pity, but because it is something that we intimately know and experience right here in our backyards. Despite the media portrayal of racism as an American issue, the fear for our friends, family members and colleagues when interacting with police; or from constantly dealing with racial profiling, discrimination and violence are a reality in this country. The feelings of pain and anger are hot on our skins, and a feeling of hopelessness so easily breeds frustration and despair — but mostly, we are tired.

Actions > Empty Gestures

There are a number of conversations going on at the moment about the role that corporations and white people should play in addressing racism. Recently, there have been a string of highly publicised anti-black violence: the murder of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis police; the murder of Ahmaud Arbery by white gunmen in Georgia; the murder of Belly Mujinga in a racist attack by a member of the public in London; the harassment and threatening of a black bird-watcher by a white woman in New York. Honestly the list goes on…

Whenever something like this occurs, I often wonder if it will spark any change but I equally as often find myself pessimistic about the result. Empty gestures like a “social media blackout” or a claim of solidarity with no pledges of action arouse little reason to be optimistic for me, but I never let hope completely diminish.

A recent conversation with a friend highlighted that there is some benefit that can be derived from corporates posting their support for anti-racism causes, even if (me being cynical) it is a reactive, trend-following act. For one, it is an overt expression that they have chosen a side and declared that they cannot be politically or morally neutral when it comes to racism.

But moreover, these companies have now put their heads on the chopping block. With their social media posts, they are publicly putting themselves out there to be held accountable when the media cycle moves on to its next agenda. The internet does not forget — and we will hold them to account, with our voices, and with our money.

So you’ve decided you need to do something. What meaningful actions can be done?

The issue with racism is that it is systemic. However, that does not mean nothing can be done to impact change, even on a micro level. Many people doing their part can create a cumulative effect — especially when people in positions of power, influence and financial means act with intention. So here are just a few things that are within your means of doing:

1. Educate yourself and your family, friends and colleagues about the realities of racism and confront it whenever you come across it in your day-to-day life
2. If you employ black people, acknowledge that many of us are in pain right now. Be sensitive towards this and take procedures to support their wellbeing during these times
3. Do not ask black people in your proximity to explain racism to you — read books, listen to podcasts, watch documentaries. Do the work. We’re tired of having to explain our daily experiences with you and feeling the need to argue the case that it occurs. Check out this reading list for a starting point.
4. Donate to organisations and campaigns tackling inequality and racism — especially those in your own city/country — look them up!
5. If you’re a VC/Angel, make a concerted effort to invest your money with black businesses. This isn’t tokenistic, there are startups ran by black people with huge potential — if you aren’t plugged to them, reach out to organisations like us (YSYS) and other angel networks.
6. Spend your money with black-owned businesses — check out Jamii here to discover black British businesses providing awesome products and services. If you live in an ethnically diverse city or part of town, consider frequenting some black owned restaurants (post-Pandemic, obviously). Get involved in the local community.
7. Mentor young black people — share your network, resources, internships and other opportunities with them

It’s your time to do the work. Don’t just speak about it, be about it. And if you can, speak with your time and your money. We live in a capitalist society and resultantly money speaks louder than anything else.

I’ll sign of by re-iterating the following. Many of us are tired.