Today is International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination which is a global event organised by the United Nations.
“Youth standing up against racism” is the 2021 theme. It engages the public through #FightRacism, which aims to foster a global culture of tolerance, equality and anti-discrimination and calls on each and every one of us to stand up against racial prejudice and intolerant attitudes.
Here at Skillnet we celebrate different identities and groups. As part of our renewed commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, we are speaking to our Apprentices and finding out more about their time as learners including their challenges and their achievements.
Skillnet believe discrimination of any kind should be eradicated and wants to share its learners’ experiences of discrimination to help highlight what can be done to raise awareness.
Here, we interview two of our learners, Shahmir and Zeeshan gave their views on how we can eliminate racial discrimination.
What are your thoughts on having a day dedicated to Elimination of Racial Discrimination?
Shahmir – “I think this is a day that is needed as it recognises the racial discrimination that happens in workplaces or other settings around the globe; to understand what is happening and tackle it.”
Zeeshan – “I think it’s a great idea, especially considering recent events such as George Floyd, it highlights the need for a day like this. With tragic events happening like this around the world it’s definitely beneficial to raise awareness and shine a light on it.”
Do you think Racism will ever disappear?
Shahmir – “I think we can eradicate it from public view. That is achievable. However, to change people’s mentality or in terms of how they feel inside I’m not sure we can do that.”
Zeeshan – “That’s a deep question. I think outward racism may be eradicated within workplaces and public settings, but I feel outside of these settings it’s difficult to control what people think about others.”
What more do you think people can do?
Shahmir – “First of all, I believe in the empowerment of every single individual. That could be in many ways such as if a person needs their name to be pronounced a certain way for their culture, as this will give them confidence. Obviously, I’m aware of different accents and different Countries pronouncing things differently. But I think everyone should respect how to pronounce things the way individuals want. Also, different beliefs and customs they practice at home, such as wearing a headscarf, should be allowed to be followed in the workplace if it is reasonable to allow, as it would boost them tremendously.”
Zeeshan – “I think if people shift their mentality and treat everyone the same regardless of background, colour or religion this would give all races and backgrounds equal opportunities when it comes to everyday life.”
Where do you think racism comes from?
Shahmir – “I think it’s a lack of education, because people have a lack of understanding of other beliefs and backgrounds. They just assume, or get incorrect information that leads to making some kinds of judgements. They then behave towards different people based on those judgments. So, if we educate people the right way by giving the correct information, then that will prevent other things from happening.”
Zeeshan – “I think racism stems from the incorrect belief that someone can be better than another person, due to factors out of their control like religion, skin colour or background. It also comes from an attitude of focusing on differences instead of similarities, which people pick up in their circles or through the things they watch or read.”
Have you ever experienced or witnessed any racial discrimination?
Shahmir – “I have never encountered it at work, school or in a professional setting. However, when it comes to everyday public life that is where it arises. I have witnessed different types of discrimination with regards to certain looks. As an example, a lady wearing a headscarf triggered certain comments to make her look inferior to others. I think it is because a lot of people have this mindset due to a lack of education, or the media portrayal where certain images/cultures and actions are linked together. Therefore certain judgements are made i.e. all females wearing a headscarf are related to extremism or being suppressed and not able to voice their opinions. This can also relate to hair styles, for example if someone from the black culture has their afro out, they are treated differently to someone with “normal” straight hair.”
Zeeshan – “I’ve definitely experienced racism in some form, both first-hand and second hand. For example hearing about someone called words because of their skin colour in a public setting. I’ve even heard of this happening in professional settings. It could even be as common as someone missing out on opportunities to progress because of their background compared to their counterparts. It’s hard to measure this kind of racism/discrimination but it becomes clear when you see a lack of BAME individuals in leadership positions.”
Do you think that companies have good policies and procedures in place to try and eradicate this?
Shahmir – “I feel like companies may have them, but they are not open about them. I feel they could be more open about “if something happens, we are going to take it very seriously”. For example, every school has a zero-tolerance policy. Companies should follow the same policy as it is very clear.”
Zeeshan – “I think companies have the bare minimum and treat it as a ‘tick box’ exercise. Generally, the culture in a lot of companies means that speaking up about racism is frowned upon or could even be seen as bad for your career. I think companies need to remove the stigma attached to speaking up about such issues and take action if needs be.”
Do you think people of different age groups are more likely to be more racist than others?
Shahmir – “I feel like age may have a contributing factor as people who are more traditional or older have a lack of education, making them more likely to act in a certain way. But I feel like even though age may be a factor, I’ve seen plenty of young people carry out the same practices. So it might be the case that it is passed down from watching people act a certain way. It could also be a lack of education, so education is key.”
Zeeshan – “I think because of the outward racism that was allowed in workplaces and in public places a long time ago, people who grew up in that era know no different. It’s difficult to change people’s minds and attitudes towards others, so tackling racism with this age group is more difficult. Saying that, racism is a mindset and I think this can’t be bound to any age group or demographic.”
Do you think having a celebration day on the 21st March each year will help to educate?
Shahmir – “Yes, but I feel the 2 most vital places for any child to get the right information is their home and school. These are the critical places where they get the information which is going to set them up for life. I feel schools have a huge responsibility to make sure every child is fully aware that they need to respect anyone who is different from them. This is the first step, and it is the parent’s duty to echo this. When I was at school, we had a cultural day where there were no lessons, we could wear what we wanted and all went into the hall to try different foods and talk about different cultures. It would be good if this was to happen in all schools and workplaces on the same day.”
Zeeshan – “Definitely. I think having a specific day to raise awareness every year will encourage people to think about racism and how we can solve this. For example, in schools there could be events focussed on teaching children about diversity and equality. Having these beliefs from a young age would mean no one would feel the need to discriminate against anyone.”
Do you think the day is publicised enough?
Shahmir – “To be quite honest no. I didn’t even know about it until Skillnet told me. To make people more aware we need to market it more, like we do for International Women’s Day. A few years ago hardly anyone knew about IWD, now everyone seems to know about it. So we should use the same tactics for this day in the same way.”
Zeeshan – “No, I didn’t know about it until Skillnet asked me to do this interview. I think the UK needs to do more to really encourage celebration and make this day as well-known as others.”
Have you had any experience where your peers don’t understand your culture?
Shahmir – “Yes, but when I have explained my culture they have listened and tried to understand as that is basic manners. I think schools should educate more, but workplaces could also do more, such as have a coffee morning or something to fit in with this date, where we could have guest speakers come in and talk to all employees about different cultures and beliefs.”
Zeeshan – “Yes, I’ve had many experiences like this. Generally it’s due to ignorance or simply not knowing, rather than coming from a place of discrimination. Generally, when this happens a conversation can solve the issue and it usually doesn’t happen again.”
When did you first become aware of racism?
Shahmir – “I became aware of racism when I came to the UK at 4 years of age. The place I came from was very social – you didn’t need to know someone to play with them, you just played. So, it was very open and I thought it would be the same here. But it was different, because my neighbourhood was predominantly white, and I was the new kid and could hardly speak English. It had a huge impact as nobody wanted to play with me, and then I was bullied for a few years until I could speak English and defend myself. Essentially, I was a victim because I was different. I got support at school as the teachers helped, but in real life you just have to learn to accept it and turn the other cheek.”
Zeeshan – “The first time I became aware of racism is my earliest memory from primary school. Just being treated as a little different, in a school where not many people looked like me. In my culture, it is common for women to wear headscarves due to religion, or men wearing more traditional clothes and I’d hear of situations where these people would be discriminated against from a young age.”
Do you think having this day is enough to educate people?
Shahmir – “No, I think it’s great, but we then need action to let people get a better understanding and make it count. This is phase one, we need to now start thinking about stage 2 of getting this out there.”
Zeeshan – “I think it’s a step in the right direction, but we need to focus on this problem 365 days a year not just one!”
A massive thank you to Shahmir and Zeeshan for their contributions and inspiring words. We look forward to further development with our internal Equality, Diversity and Inclusion learner working groups.
Zeeshan – “This was a great interview. Thanks again for reaching out.”