CFG’s Co-CEO, Sarah Lomax, describes her experiences attending a recent counter demonstration, and explains how her lived experience as someone with mixed heritage informs her view on the need for the sector to do more to defend against racism.
I recently took part in a counter demonstration in Folkestone at Napier Barracks where asylum seekers have been housed since 2020. The demo was in response to a protest organised by Jodie Scott who, a couple of weeks prior, had attended Tommy Robinson’s ‘Unite the Kingdom’ rally in London.
Being of Chinese-Canadian heritage, I can’t help but feel passionate about this subject. In my local area, flags have been raised on nearby lampposts and hostility to migrants is becoming more pervasive. My own experiences of racism mean that I can’t sit by and let this go unchallenged.
The counter-protest, organised in part by local charity the Kent Refugee Action Network, aimed to show that refugees are welcome here and I’m happy to say that the community came out in huge numbers to reinforce this. Nevertheless, the past few weeks have been scary. I believe CFG, as a membership organisation and a leader within the sector, has a responsibility to explicitly challenge the narratives that are taking hold within our society, and to support those who are experiencing racist attacks.
To that end, we have signed a letter drafted by members of the Civil Society Group to the Prime Minister [link to news piece], asking him and ministers “to provide clear and consistent leadership to advance inclusion, equality and anti-racism in the face of the increasingly harmful impact of far-right activity on public and political life in the UK.”
On a personal level, my lived experience is that as someone with dual or mixed heritage, 99% of people don't even realise that I am of ESEA heritage, unless I tell them. I certainly recognise that this is, in many ways, a privilege which a lot of people from minority backgrounds don’t experience.
Despite this, my heritage has deeply influenced my entire outlook on life and therefore, when Zoe Amar put out a call on social media a couple of years ago looking for anyone of Chinese heritage working in the sector, I leapt at the chance to join her and others.
As Zoe said in her article for Third Sector, the sector “could do so much more to share stories of those from different backgrounds”, adding that “we need more people to speak out, because the impact on the communities we support is huge.”
As Zoe said in her recent article for Third Sector, the sector “could do so much more to share stories of those from different backgrounds”, adding that “we need more people to speak out, because the impact on the communities we support is huge.”
We know that diverse perspectives within the workforce improve our successes and our impact. Let’s strive towards bringing as many diverse people from all backgrounds into our organisations. We will be much the richer for it, and therefore our beneficiaries will be too.
And as we strive to live our values, it is important to remember how the small things we do for each other can make a big difference. This is easier to do when we know and regularly engage with each other, so do continue to check-in and support each other. In a world that is increasingly polarised, we will keep moving forward, together.