Last month has taken us on a serious rollercoaster of emotions that we are all still reeling from to be honest.
In preparation for Windrush Day on June 22nd, we celebrated this year by protesting outside Downing Street and asking for the Windrush Compensation Scheme to be removed from the hands of the Home Office, with the founder of Windrush Day and renowned activist Patrick Vernon. We were joined by some of the Windrushers including Anthony Bryan and Glenda Cesar. Patrick wrote about the urgency to get these claims sorted asap as it is having a huge mental and physical effect on the Windrushers affected, at the time of writing, 21 people had died whilst waiting for their compensation.
Last month, Priti Patel’s Immigration Plan was released and we have now had a look at the Home Office’s Immigration & Borders Bill, and it surprises no-one. Under these new plans, people like Dr Waheed Arian and Gulwarly Pasali would not be allowed to seek asylum. We will be joining the fight with others to stand against this heartless bill along with the Policing Bill that criminalises minority, ethnic and migrant communities.
And then as if that wasn’t enough, the nation was taken to the brink with the Euros! We were led through a fantastic tournament by our fearless leader Gareth Southgate, who galvanised a nation behind his young maverick team who we all felt represented the very best of England. A team that celebrated Pride, took the knee, supported their communities and fed the nation’s poor children (I have a lump in my throat as I write that, so much pride in this team!). And for all their efforts, of bringing the England’s mens football team to a final for the first time in 55 years (I make the point to write men’s, because the women did the same thing in 2009), our nation’s leaders gaslighted them and us the entire way talking about gesture politics. As the entire thinking nation dealt with online racists and mural vandals, we also had to call them out for stirring the pot.
This is nothing new to anyone in the migrant sector, or anyone working in the race & equality sector. But as we move forward, we have some new supporters and we will be regrouping, resting and getting ready for another fight real soon.
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