October is Black History Month. This is an important topic to all of us and acts as a time to reflect on the achievements of the Black community in the face of systematic discrimination. It is also a time to consider what allies can do to ensure these injustices are stopped for all members of the Black community.
This brings us to Black History Month’s theme this year: ‘Saluting Our Sisters’ which aims to highlight the impact of Black women within their communities and addressing the unique issues they face.
A quick Google search will reveal countless stories mistreatment in our healthcare system or discrimination at work. We may see these affect the people we support, our friends or ourselves.
We know Black people are at much greater risk of the causes and poor outcomes of rough sleeping. According to Shelter, Black people are disproportionately affected by homelessness with 1 in 23 Black households becoming homeless or threatened with homelessness, versus 1 in 83 households from all other ethnicities combined.
Black people sleeping rough can experience a lot of challenges and abuse on the streets, especially Black women who are targeted more often than their male or white counterparts. Some of this comes from their experiences in health and social care services. Black people are often unfairly viewed to be a lot stronger in coping with traumatic events, and therefore don’t have equal access to social and health sectors.
But being aware of this is only half the battle. Action is needed to overcome this.
What are we doing to support people this Black History Month?
For our part, a more equitable society is integral to our mission as an organisation and so we all need to work towards creating an inclusive environment everyone who enters our spaces.
In practical terms, this means working to develop and embed a diversity and inclusion strategy for our the people we support, staff and supporters. This is an ongoing process which we are currently integrating at every level of our work.
Ultimately, ending homelessness is impossible without ending racism against the Black community. This Black History Month we hope to shine a light on the unique and drastic issues faced by this marginalised group while fighting for a better future. We hope you join us on this journey.
