So much of our world has been confusing in recent weeks. Even by the madness of the Brexit years since 2016 this last period has been quite extraordinary.
But this last week has caused me to shout out in anger too often. I thought I had moved on from this emotion.
I wanted to be more reflective as I move into this new season - and as I said recently be more outspoken on things that matter - whilst doing it in a way that allows us all to disagree well
But shouting in anger at the news has made a come back. Trump started it. .
But back in the UK my patience has been tested. We have a government that is playing with the lives of the population over its handling of the Coronavirus. Too slow to lock down - too quick to dump the science to open back up again.
In the US the murder of George Floyd has caused international condemnation and a massive rise in protests in cities across the world and some hope that Racism has been etched into the public discourse The #blaclivesmatter movement has a chance to make a difference. .
In my mind all these things are linked.
This is why Saje Impact was moving into a more vocal stage. We have been trying to tackle issues since we were young. And if I am honest despite moments when I thought we had made progress (around 1997 -or in 2012 for example) it doesn’t take much to feel we have gone backwards. Or that these moments were just that and nothing had fundamentally changed.
Racism and xenophobia still dominate our society. And it’s toxic.
I am fully aware of my white privilege - but as many have said it is what you choose to do with it that counts.
I feel I have nothing original to say on BLM but I am willing to speak up and speak out. That’s all humbly have to offer. As i work on diversity issues (have we just made it a polite term so we don’t offend) I am depressingly aware of discrimination based on gender, disability, race and social background too.
The Black lives matters isn’t just a US issue. It crosses over into the UK and in more stark terms than BAME death rates linked to covid-19 as highlighted in this report
Covid-19 death rate in England higher among BAME people
The reason is of course that all these things are completely interrelated. Poverty, inequality and injustice manifest in different ways.
Before we all start jumping in with your solutions we should stop. Educate ourselves and listen to what our Black friends say. We need to understand our history. And not the gentle one we are taught about the Tudors and Stuarts and 1066. But the one where our colonialism and role in the slave trade caused untold misery and hurt.
Bringing all these things together this week was not far from my new work at the Sport for Development coalition. Sport all too often uses the words of Mandela to claim it changes lives. It can. But it’s not automatic or a given. As I blogged earlier in the week the racism in sport in the UK is as deep as in other sectors of society.
Thanks to StreeGames we can see what impact it is having … Our poorest communities are genuinely suffering. We still live in the 5/6th richest country in the world. But for millions of our fellow it doesn’t feel like it.
I have been blogging politically on Lockdown too - so find me over on Views from the Margin. Links are on this site too! It is because all of these things are linked. Power, politics, history.
That’s why my head hurts this week from the anger and shouting The poverty and injustice are systemic and ‘programmes’ are no longer enough.
There are no quick easy solutions from me today. My response needs to be measured and impactful. It goes beyond sport and the physical activity agenda. But I will educate myself, listen and act.
“Our Change at sajeImpact seems to have been perfectly timed”