Be an ally against racism!
Racism can take many forms, from verbal abuse to physical assaults. It can be in the form of graffiti or include attacks on property as well as people.
It usually takes on a threatening, abusive or insulting form but can also be disguised as a joke or ‘a little bit of craic’. It can happen anywhere, including work, school, in or near your home, on public transport or in the street. It can happen over a long period of time and make life a misery for the victims.
All forms of racism involve making generalisations or perpetuating stereotypes about people who are a diverse background. These stereotypes often view other people as inferior, and as well as being insulting, are used to justify the exclusion of people from opportunities, resources and power.
The only way to end racism is TOGETHER.
Edmund Burke
Rev Desmond Tutu
What to do if you see someone being racially abused in a public space
Step 1: Asses the safety of the situation – do not put yourself in danger.
Step 2: Take action and stay with the person affected e.g. stand beside the person affected during the abuse, focus on and talk to them, do not engage with the abuser, film the abuse if you feel safe to do so.
Step 3: Show solidarity and stay with the person affected for as long as they need – listen to them, support them to call a friend/ family member.
Step 4: Support the person affected to report the incident and/ or report it yourself.
*If the racist abuse is criminal in nature contact An Garda Síochána immediately by calling 999
Report Racism
If you have been the victim of racism or witnessed an incident of racism, we can help. The Immigrant Council provides support, information and referrals to people who have experienced or witnessed racist incidents in Ireland.
Fighting Racism at a Societal Level
Ending racism in Ireland starts with recognising that change comes from within. It’s important to be aware that we ALL have unconscious biases and to not be afraid of exploring those biases and challenging them.
As conversations about racism continue to be had, listen to what minority groups and people of colour are saying and be open to learning from their experiences. Do not undermine their experience as invalid or unimportant.
Ask yourself if there is something you can do in your own life to change any systems that might be oppressive for minorities, like hiring practices at work, team selections in sports, mispronouncing someone’s name, etc.
The list below contains some Do’s and Don’t’s to get you thinking about racism and where it starts in society.
Remember, education is the key. People are not born racist. It is learned. It can also be unlearned.
THE DO's
- Do listen and be open to learning
- Do be aware of your implicit biases (we all have them!)
- Do amplify (online and when physically present) the voices of those affected
- Do look into how to change the oppressive systems
THE DON’T's
- Do not expect to be taught or shown. Take it upon yourself to use the tools around you to learn and answer your questions
- Do not behave as though you know best
- Do not assume that every member of a marginalised group feels oppressed
- Do not assume you are doing people a favour, it’s your duty
Diversity and Anti-Racism Training
As part of our Integration Hub, we have developed various training programmes for front line staff, public service providers and employers to gain confidence in working with diverse communities and to recognise and better harness the strength of diversity .
Our training programmes cover areas including diversity management ; challenging unconscious bias; promoting equality and understanding intercultural dynamics.Our training also cover the implementation of the Public Sector Duty.
If you would like to learn more about bringing one of our training programmes to your place of work, contact us.
