Black Lives Matter
The #blacklivesmatter movement is making waves and seeing essential change across the globe to the way black, and other minority ethnicities are seen, treated and heard.
At Youth in Romsey our focus is on young people and their wellbeing, no matter what background, class, race or gender they belong to, and we understand that those of black and other minority ethnicities face additional challenges due to their race. This should not be the case, and we stand with those asking for equality within the community and understanding of the oppression black people currently face.
Our message to young people is this - If you are being singled out because of your colour, race or nationality, we are here for you. Being treated differently due to your race is against the law, and whether you wanted to take legal action or not, Youth in Romsey will support and encourage you to make the right choices for you. Your wellbeing and safety is our priority.
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It may be that you feel wrong to ask for support because you are experiencing racism from someone who doesn’t realise they are doing it, but you aren’t. Whether or not it is meant to hurt you, it is still harmful, and you don’t need to feel uncertain about contacting us if you are struggling with this. This scenario also points out why the BLM movement is so important. Everybody needs to be educated. Making people aware of their actions, what they can do to discourage racism in others and see the difficulties faced by people of colour takes us a big step closer to racial equality and respect.
We want to make sure we are reaching young people of all ethnicities in Romsey and Southern Test valley. If you have any suggestions as to how we can improve on this, let us know! Our ears are open and we want to hear what you have to say.
There are lots of ways to get support if you are dealing with racial bullying or discrimination. Youth in Romsey is one of them, and you can always contact us, but if you don’t feel comfortable doing that, here are some other options:
> If someone is being racist towards you, walk away. Keep yourself safe and try not to retaliate but talk to someone about it instead.
> Speak to a family member/ friend or teacher about it – this can really help.
> You could keep a note of what you have experienced. Videos, messages, a log of events etc. This can help to back you up when speaking out about it.
> You can call the police on 101 or in an emergency call 999.
If you want to read more about dealing with racial bullying and how to get help with this, click here.
At the end of the day, if you are struggling, the most important thing is to tell someone about it. Having someone there to help you through difficulty is important, whether its YiR, a teacher, family member, friend, Childline or the police. And remember, no matter the circumstances, being treated differently because of your race is NEVER OK, but you aren’t alone. There are people who care and want to help you through it. To contact us, click here.