Today is Stephen Lawrence Day – a celebration of Stephen’s life and legacy and which is marked each year in the British calendar. On this the 28th anniversary of Stephen’s passing - it is a time for reflection and an opportunity for us to think about the part we can all play in creating a society in which we can feel safe and flourish.
Walsall for All has created opportunities for residents to play their role in building an integrated Walsall, enabling communities to flourish and feel safe and valued.
Below are some examples of our work with partner organisations:
Black History Month – Walsall for All hosted its biggest Black History Month celebrations in October 2020, giving residents from our diverse communities the opportunity to tell their story, with some emphasis on the meaning of Black History Month, what it means to be Black and British, inspiration and hopes for the future. Contributions included faith and community leaders, young people, public sector workers, creative professionals and many more, all of whom live or work in Walsall and surrounding areas. The month of celebrations ended with a webinar with speakers from the creative, policing, criminal justice, business and public sectors.
Walsall Hate Crime Reduction Initiative - Black Country Innovate CIC are leading a community-led approach that includes a number of committed individuals, community organisations, places of worship, West Midlands Police, Walsall Council and the private sector to reduce all forms of hate crime across Walsall. Previous work has included the recruitment of ‘Stand by Me’ Hate Crime Ambassadors to equip participants with the knowledge and confidence on hate crime and how to safely intervene as a bystander to a hate crime and volunteers to help run the organisation’s hate crime support service. Research is now underway in partnership with De Montfort University to gain an understanding of hate crime experiences and provide an opportunity to improve services for victims of hate crime. More details can be found here.
Community Dialogue – Walsall for All worked with The Faith and Belief Forum to deliver Community Dialogue, a yearlong programme focussing on issues of race, belonging and social justice. Over 130 people took part in online sessions. The project helped to forge new relationships between groups and individuals who would not otherwise socially mix. Dialogue platforms are an important tool in building resilience and creating a sense of community.
Call to action: sign the Walsall for All Pledge
Stephen’s continuing legacy is a profound and enduring one. Walsall for All is encouraging wider community action and discussion and the ‘Walsall for All Pledge’ below aims to encourage people to commit to equality and inclusion.
Since August 2020, nearly 200 residents and organisations in total have made their commitment.
Signing the Pledge means, you get to play your part in three ways:
Finding new learning and experiences that help you to know and do more to show kindness.
Working with others to find solutions that make Walsall a fairer place for everyone.
Challenging inequality wherever you can.
To find out more and sign the Pledge, go to www.walsallforall.co.uk/pledge