Join the fight and speak out against racism

As we watch the growing protests following the murder of George Floyd, we can see clearly that racism is not just an American problem – racism exists everywhere, including in the UK. We understand that racism and prejudice towards Black people is an everyday reality, all over the world, whether conscious or unconscious. We also know that institutional racism is not confined to those in positions of power and that we are all accountable in some way.

The Rory Peck Trust stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and we understand that we each have a part to play in eradicating racism, so we are looking inward to what changes we can push for in the media industry, in our workplaces, in our homes and in our lives, to promote more racial equality, and how.

Lack of diversity has been a long-standing issue across the news industry and we must demand and support more black voices in editorial teams, in management and on executive boards. We can’t change the media industry overnight, but we know that we can take steps to ensure that black voices are equally included in the conversation. We can encourage our media partners to publish stories that celebrate diversity and shed light on injustices, but also to hire more intentionally, with inclusion and equality in mind. We understand that being anti-racist means speaking up, being an ally and challenging injustices even when they don’t directly affect you.

We believe a crucial step in making a positive contribution to the anti-racist movement is to listen to and learn from our community, and we welcome your thoughts, ideas or suggestions on how the Rory Peck Trust can take action. Please email us at info@rorypecktrust.org. We want to hear from you.

Black voices matter. Black journalists matter. Black lives matter.