Rhyme and Rhetoric - the truth about Black History Month 2011

So here we are again, Black History Month. RAMFEL’s position is clear, we do not see why we should in an allegedly ‘fair and just society’ have to mark out one month to remind everyone of their failure to understand and be respectful towards other communities.







But needs must and there is a great expectation that some how, somewhere that Black History Month will simply just happen. Gone are the days when local authorities and public sector partners would play a co-ordinating role, and view it with a sense of pride, instead public sector partners are opting for a ‘partnership approach’.


Meaning in reality, someone else do it, we’ll promote it and say we’re a part of it. No we don’t have the money or even the staff time to invest in it, but we will just piggy back onto it, and conveniently tick our boxes to say ‘job well done’.


What this all suggests, is a lack of leadership and lack of courage by public sector partners.


Whether justified by the recession, or fear of heightening community tension, it is interesting to see what public sector partners do and do not invest in, and to be honest equality is way down the pecking order. Aided and abetted by the dubious provisions of the Equality Act 2010, it is now up to the Black and Minority Ethnic community and voluntary sector to hold public sector partners to account, using the language of ‘due regard’ and not the antiquated playground politics of Equality Impact Assessments.

As the recent real life exchange below demonstrates, there is still plenty of work to be done…


Day 1 Policeman - "Rita we need some ethnic communities to sit on our committee, I'm looking for Ethiopians, can you help?"


Rita- "Are you sure you mean Ethiopians and not Somalis?"


Deadly silence, 24 hours later, Policeman 'Yes, you're quite right, I meant Somalis"


Day 2 Policeman "Will also need some Eastern Europeans for the committee?"


Rita "Where about specifically in Eastern Europe?"


Policeman "Don't want so say, wouldn't want to exclude anyone or sterotype"


Our thoughts precisely…