After a 12-month campaign led by Speak up Diversity, York City Councillors voted unanimously to make York an anti-racist, inclusive City on the 21 October this year.
There has sadly been an increase in race-related hate crimes in the city since the pandemic started and our Civic Leaders want York to be seen as a welcoming place given its status as a City of Sanctuary and a Human Rights City.
Given the City’s reliance on tourism, offering a friendly welcome to people of all nations and all races, it is important for its global reputation and more importantly, it has a major impact on people from different ethnic minorities who live and work in the city. Most of York’s residents do not experience at first hand the type of racist abuse which people from different ethnic minorities face every day and it is only by working together that we can make sure that this behaviour is not acceptable in our city.
We are now setting up an independent working group to develop long-term anti-racism and inclusive strategy which will determine how we turn this decision into action that makes a difference to people who live and work here. If you have lived experience of racism or feel you have something to contribute to our work, please contact us.
Email Haddy Njie at hello@speakupdiversity.org to express your interest or find out how you can help us. www.speakupdiversity.org
- York becomes the North’s first Anti-Racist City - December 27, 2021