October marks Black History Month, a vital opportunity for all of us to recognise and celebrate the contributions, culture, and history of Black individuals in the UK. This month also serves as a reminder to celebrate the resilience and achievements of Black individuals who have fought against both historical and contemporary forms of slavery. Figures like Mary Prince, author of “The History of Mary Prince, A West Indian Slave” which exposed the UK to the Black experience, and modern activists like Akala, who addresses systemic injustices, remind us of the ongoing struggle against oppression. This month highlights significant achievements in the fight for justice, underscoring the importance of Black voices in advocating for those who have faced exploitation.
At Sophie Hayes Foundation, we support individuals from regions deeply affected by the legacy of transatlantic slavery, where the impacts on Black communities continue to resonate today, including Nigeria, Cameroon, and Ghana. Furthermore, our support extends to women from areas impacted by systemic oppression of Black groups, such as South Africa and the Caribbean islands, recognising their unique struggles and contributions. Through our efforts, we seek to inspire hope and healing, fostering a community where survivors can reclaim their narratives and build a brighter future together. As survivors step into their full potential, seizing their futures, we at Sophie Hayes Foundation will continue to uplift their lived experience when addressing the issues and policies around modern slavery. Survivor agency over the narrative of slavery has a profound and proven impact on how this global crime is understood and addressed; but it is also a critical piece of each survivor’s healing journey, enabling them to use their voice and tell their story in their own words. In the past, we have worked alongside the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool, whose work focuses on the history of transatlantic slavery. Our collaboration produced The Freedom Quilts. Survivors created three quilts, one to represent each region of Sophie Hayes Programmes: Birmingham, Manchester, and London. This partnership underscores the importance of representing the personal histories of survivors of modern slavery ensuring that they are recognised as part of our collective history of slavery.
We celebrate Black History Month tangibly by emphasising the importance of inclusivity within the anti-slavery movement highlighting lived experiences at every turn. One of the organisational goals to come out of our 2024 Strategy is the amplification of survivors’ stories. We will continually open opportunities for survivor empowerment, providing skills and support to enable survivors to take them up, including the introduction of pathways for survivors to join our Board of Trustees. We encourage survivors’ voices to guide our decision-making as an organisation through our Lived Experience Advisory Group. Those in the anti-slavery sector can amplify the voices of Black survivors and communities by giving a platform to Black voices and creating safe spaces from which diversity and lived-experience perspectives may flourish, ensuring their experiences and needs are prioritized in the fight against modern slavery. To accomplish this within the sector and beyond, we have launched a learning and development offer. Starting from our expertise on topics such as sustainable freedom, reducing obstacles to employment for survivors, the power of survivor storytelling, and sectors in which exploitation of women is prevalent, we have developed a suite of L&D materials, guides, and events. These will continue to be marketed to individuals, charitable and sector partners, business and corporate partners, schools and universities, and public institutions such as local authorities, and will have a firm basis in lived and learned experience.
This is equally as important when raising awareness. Our Survivor Story blog posts allow survivors to share their perspectives safely and in their own words, such as Victoria from Cameroon, whose experience illustrates the resilience of survivors and the challenges faced by countless individuals in the fight against exploitation. Individuals share their stories through many mediums, such as the artwork created by members of our CREW Survivor Network on our social media platforms. Artwork can offer an intimate perspective into the artist’s emotional experience, which offers a wealth of knowledge and understanding into the issue of slavery as well as contextualising it into an individual’s life and identity. By amplifying survivors’ voices and advocating for justice, we gain personal, human insight into their experiences and work towards a future free from exploitation and inequality.
While there isn’t a “typical” victim of modern slavery, there are key factors that indicate one may be at higher risk, including lack of access to education, poverty, and poor social conditions. Many Black individuals in the UK unfortunately experience one or all of these factors:
Black workers earn 23% less on average than white workers
Black individuals are nearly half as likely to work in a higher-level role compared to white individuals (5.7% compared to 10.7%)
Black people and ethnic minorities are 2.5 times more likely to live in poverty than white people.
These are only three of many statistics illustrating the systemic inequalities leading to increased risk of exploitation. By highlighting the historical context of racial injustice and its connection to modern slavery, we can inspire more people to advocate for policy changes that better protect vulnerable groups. By raising awareness through the perspective of lived experience and actively calling for the root causes of exploitation to be addressed at national and global levels, we encourage others to join the call for change, leading to more comprehensive support systems for survivors and policies that hinder the crime of modern slavery at its foundation.
This October, we encourage you not only to celebrate Black voices and reflect but also to take action. Support those combating modern slavery in the UK by donating, signing petitions, and speaking up. Sign up for our newsletter to stay informed about sector news and opportunities to take individual action, or why not book our Lunch & Learn offer for your team? The struggle for justice and equality continues not just through October but each and every day. By uplifting lived experience perspectives and addressing the root causes of vulnerabilities placing marginalised groups at risk, we can pave the road for sustainable freedom for all.
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