Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster has become one of a group of leaders across Birmingham and the West Midlands to pledge the city will become an anti-racist city.
The PCC made the pledge at the Birmingham Race Impact Group bi-annual summit, alongside other leaders from every sector across Birmingham – city, regional, civic, public, education, private, faith, cultural, community and voluntary.
The PCC signed a landmark pledge, marking an important step forward for the region’s future. He acknowledged that it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist and he pledged that:
“We commit to work collectively to create an Anti-Racist Birmingham and West Midlands.”
It is important that city and regional leaders work together to create an anti-racist Birmingham and West Midlands.
Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster, said: “To eliminate any and all unlawful discrimination and racism from society, it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist.
“We must commit to work collectively to create an Anti-Racist Birmingham and West Midlands
“I am pleased to be one of the leaders from across Birmingham and the West Midlands to stand up and take this pledge.
Ranjit Sondhi, BRIG chair, added: “Bringing City and regional leaders together to tackle racism pro-actively must be a game changer.
“It can’t be left to stagnating policies and procedure, which essentially manages the inequality that exists without trying to change anything. We have worked tirelessly for decades to get the city, region, and its institutions on the same page in tackling racial inequalities seriously.
“Inaction is not a choice. Due to the multiple barriers faced by racialised communities we are aware this has opened up a life expectancy gap of circa 10 years between ethnic minorities and their white counterparts. The response from the system for decades has been “it takes time”, frankly we haven’t got it.
“We have learnt from anti-racist campaigners who came before us just how difficult the struggle is to eradicate the deep, persistent, and periodically violent, racism in Britain. But we are now at a moment in history when all major public institutions and community groups have pledged to make, Birmingham an anti-racist city. We are pleased that BRIG has played a significant part in this development.”
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