We’ve considered ways to address privilege and have thought about what working in solidarity can involve. We will now consider how we as individuals can influence change and be part of the work to dismantle racism.
As individuals we can create change in our personal and work lives. Anti-racism is a commitment to change our world, so we can change the world around us. There will be action we can take in collaboration with others, and things we can do for ourselves. As Reni Eddo-Lodge says:
“It’s on your shoulders and mine to dismantle what we once accepted to be true. It’s our task. It needs to be done with whatever resources we have on hand…
“If you are disgusted by what you see, and if you feel the fire coursing through your veins, then it’s up to you. You don’t have to be the leader of a global movement or household name. It can be as small scale as chipping away at the warped power relations in your workplace. It can be passing on knowledge and skills to those who wouldn’t access them otherwise. It can be creative. It can be informal. It can be your job. It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as you’re doing something.”
As the previous quote shows, we all have power to be the change. This will likely involve doing deep, long-term work and being open to learn and develop. This work will be challenging and can get uncomfortable. It can also be joyful, rewarding and enriching, with the chance to transform our work and the impact we make.
In the following exercises, we will start to map out ideas to create change for anti-racism. This will support you in the final section, Putting it into practice, where you will identify priorities and next steps. In the next section, we will consider what anti-racism can mean on an organisational level.