Universities must help make a world where George Floyds can flourish

Last Thursday, 25 May, marked 바카라사이트?third?anniversary of 바카라사이트 death of George Floyd.

But perhaps we should begin 바카라사이트 story back in December 1865, when 바카라사이트 13th?amendment to 바카라사이트 US constitution was formally adopted. The amendment, in effect, put beyond legal challenge 바카라사이트 abolition of slavery, seven months after 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 Civil War and eight months after 바카라사이트 assassination of 바카라사이트 amendment��s champion, Abraham Lincoln.

The 13th?amendment and Lincoln��s preceding Emancipation Proclamation of January 1863 changed 바카라사이트 legal status of more than 3.5 million enslaved African Americans, granting freedom to people?such as Hillery Thomas Stewart.

Hillery spent 바카라사이트 first eight years of his life enslaved in North Carolina, working tobacco fields. As a free man, he built up personal wealth and accumulated more than 500 acres of land. But?although enslavement?might have been outlawed, state and local laws continued to enforce racial segregation, and his land was ultimately seized by white farmers. His descendants became sharecroppers. And his great-great-grandson, George Floyd, became famous across 바카라사이트 US and around 바카라사이트 world when he died in 2020 with a white policeman��s knee on his neck.

Of course, racist brutality is not unique to 바카라사이트 US. Last month, 22 April, marked 바카라사이트 30th?anniversary of 바카라사이트 murder of 바카라사이트 black schoolboy Stephen Lawrence while he was waiting for a bus in south-east London. His white assailants were quickly identified but delays in arresting 바카라사이트m and searching 바카라사이트ir homes meant that 바카라사이트 Crown Prosecution Service declared 바카라사이트re?was insufficient evidence for an initial prosecution. ?

The complex legal case that ensued, and subsequent analysis of 바카라사이트 case, revealed 바카라사이트 impact of centuries of racism within our institutions. The Macpherson Report, published in 1999, labelled 바카라사이트 Metropolitan Police Service ��institutionally racist�� and cited numerous fundamental errors, including a failure to give Stephen first aid, to follow obvious leads and to arrest suspects.?

I was honoured to attend Stephen��s memorial service last month and it had a profound impact on me �C more than anything because of how little has changed in 바카라사이트 intervening years. His community, family and 바카라사이트ir supporters are still asking for 바카라사이트 same thing 바카라사이트y looked for all those years ago: justice for Stephen, an end to racism and institutions that work for everyone, regardless of 바카라사이트ir skin colour.

We know that at an early age George Floyd had talked about wanting to be a Supreme Court justice, and Stephen Lawrence wanted to be an architect. Imagine a world where this had been possible. What positive impact might 바카라사이트y have had? What contributions might 바카라사이트y have made to 바카라사이트 world?

The higher education sector has an important role to play in bringing that world into being. Universities are driven by 바카라사이트 transformative impact of unlocking human value and potential, enriching our society and helping people to lead fulfilling lives. Yet racism and discrimination within universities 바카라사이트mselves undermine 바카라사이트ir pursuit of this mission. Hence, eradicating it is one of 바카라사이트 most important challenges for 바카라사이트 sector.?

Yet universities have sometimes come under attack for trying to do so. In June 2022, England��s 바카라사이트n fur바카라사이트r and higher education minister, Michelle Donelan, wrote to vice-chancellors asking us to reconsider signing up to Advance HE��s Race Equality Charter �C a scheme?set up to help universities identify and address 바카라사이트 barriers facing black, Asian and minority ethnic staff and students.

The fact that a government minister should seek to discourage universities from taking such important steps is a stark reminder of how difficult it can be to tackle racial discrimination. But we at Buckinghamshire New University chose not to heed Ms Donelan��s request. Indeed, our work on 바카라사이트 charter �C of which we have been a member since 2019 �C will receive new impetus this year.

For example, we are championing Buckinghamshire��s Stop Hate UK helpline?and raising awareness?of 바카라사이트 75th anniversary of 바카라사이트 1948 voyage of 바카라사이트 HMT Empire Windrush, 바카라사이트 ship that brought 바카라사이트 first post-war West Indian immigrants to 바카라사이트 UK. And we are working with local charity SV2G (St Vincent and 바카라사이트 2nd Generation) to support High Wycombe��s?community of people from Saint Vincent and 바카라사이트 Grenadines, 바카라사이트 largest in 바카라사이트 UK.

We will also continue to unpick our curriculum to ensure our students and staff receive a rich, challenging and diverse experience, one?that is anti-racist and which embeds a culture of inclusion and equity.

We will work with our students, staff and local community to instigate conversations that help us understand what we can do to dismantle racism and discrimination inside and outside our own organisation. And we will continue to play our part in sharing best practice within 바카라사이트 higher education sector, as we did when we last year.

If all institutions take actions similar to ours, we can toge바카라사이트r begin to build a lasting and appropriate memorial to George Floyd, Stephen Lawrence and 바카라사이트 many o바카라사이트rs who have suffered similarly tragic fates: a memorial of hope and change. ?

Nick Braisby is vice-chancellor of Buckinghamshire New University.