Thursday 16 July, 6pm OPEN ONLINE FORUM: We Demand Change – Covid19, Racism and Disproportionate BAME Deaths The historic wave of Black Lives Matter mobilisations in response to the murder of George Floyd has led to a groundswell of support for uncovering and challenging the deeply entrenched and systematic nature of racism in Britain. The movement has thrown up the prospect of combatative campaigns that can win real victories, from the demand to scrap Section 60 of Stop and Search, to demands around decolinising education. It has also turned the heat up on something already exposed by the Covid19 crisis. Amidst the horror of a pandemic in which the British government allowed tens of thousands to die needlessly, a light was shone by the shockingly disproportionate BAME deaths on the deeply institutionalised nature of racism in Britain today. As part of a series of open forums aimed at shaping and formulating demands for the anti racist movement at this crucial time, this meeting will focus on how we can work together to achieve further victories, and fight the injustice of institutionalised racism and push for a public inquiry now into the disproportionate BAME deaths during Covid19. Support the Early Day Motion HERE demanding a public inquiry into the effect of Covid19 on BAME communites. See statement here initiated by Diane Abbott with Stand Up To Racism demanding a public inquiry into the effect of Covid19 on BAME communites. On Thursday 2 July over 300 join the first online forum in the series, which was on the police, racism and the fight for justice. Campaigning against Stop & Search, Section 60, the taser and for the prosecution of offices in deaths in police contact cases were all raised by contributors including Janet Alder, Marcia Rigg, Aamer Anwar & Suresh Grover. Yesterday, over 500 joined the second forum in the series on Slavery, Empire and Decolonising Education, with contributions from Liverpool councillor Anna Rothery, the NEU’s Daniel Kebede, Anita Israel, ex Education Officer at UAL Student Union, Victoria Showunmi, lecturer at UCL and chair of UCU Black Members Committee, and Maxine Loopy, ESOL lecturer and vice chair UCU Black Members Committee. Next week’s open forum will concentrate on the Covid19, Racism and Disproportionate BAME Deaths book your place now. |