Race Equality Week 2023

News | Posted on Tuesday 31 January 2023

Race Equality Week (6 to 12 February) is a UK-wide initiative aimed at uniting organisations and individuals in activities to address the barriers to race equality in the workplace.

The Race Equality Week logo, with the dates 6 - 12 February 2023, and a Celebrating Diversity banner

The theme for Race Equality Week 2023 is It's Everyone's Business - a reminder that tackling race inequality is a shared responsibility for all of us. The Race Equality Matters website states that "Commitment is not measured by words, it is measured by outcomes and actions” and this week is a chance for us to reflect on the work that we've done and the actions that we've taken.

The 5 day challenge

We're encouraging everyone in our community to take part in the Race Equality Matters 5 day challenge, either in preparation for Race Equality Week or during the week itself. On each of the five days you'll take part in a different challenge, each taking around five minutes with videos, articles or activities to help you reflect and take actions which will lead to change.

Union Black training

All staff and students at the University can access the ‘Union Black: Britain’s Black cultures & steps to anti-racism' module free of charge. 

We're aiming for at least one in ten of our community - students and staff - to complete the Union Black training by 1 October, in time for the start of Black History Month 2023.

The training is organised by Santander Universities UK in partnership with the Open University. Developed in response to Universities UK’s ‘Tackling racial harassment in higher education’ report, the course has been designed to drive cultural change across the higher education sector. 

Find out more and sign up for Union Black

What's on?

UoY student x staff panel discussion: 'Where are you really from?'

Monday 6 February, 12:30pm – 2pm
ARC/014 Alan Maynard Auditorium, Alcuin Research Resource Centre, Campus West

This event is co-organised by YUSU BAME Network and Staff Race Equality Forum.

Have you ever been asked 'where are you really from?'

Although the question 'where are you from?' can emerge from genuine interests in someone's history, it carries the assumption that someone is not 'from here'. What does the question mean? How does it link to identity and experience of microaggression? Join us and listen to the stories and discussions of our panellists!

Elite schools and slavery in the UK – capital, violence and extractivism

Wednesday 8 February, 3pm - 4pm
SLB/003 Derwent College, Campus West

Find out more and book for Elite schools and slavery

BAME Creative Showcase 

Sunday 12 February, 7.30pm
Central Hall, Campus West
Tickets £1

The BAME Network is very excited to announce our very first BAME student's creative showcase, occurring at 7:30 on Sunday 12th February at Central Hall! It will be an evening of celebrating the talents of York's Black, Asian, minority ethnicity students, with performances of singing, dancing, poetry and music, as well as a display of art. We are really passionate about this event as we understand that BAME students are less likely to get involved with creative societies and activities whilst at university. We want to highlight the talents of our diverse student body and encourage higher levels of participation by BAME students within creative societies. 

Buy your ticket for BAME Creative Showcase

The stories of our names: University of York #MyNameIs event

Friday 24 February, 2pm - 3pm
Online

Find out more and book for The stories of our names

'It’s all racialised on top': Black and racially minoritised girls’ and women’s experiences of public sexual harassment

Tuesday 7 March, 4pm to 5pm
BS/005 - Bowland Auditorium, Berrick Saul Building, Campus West

This event marks the formal launch of the report 'It’s all racialised on top': Black and racially minoritised girls’ and women’s experiences of public sexual harassment, written by researchers at the University of York and funded by Plan International UK. This is the first report on this issue in the UK.

Find out more and book for It’s all racialised on top

A University of Sanctuary

The University of York is a welcoming and safe place for refugees, asylum seekers and other people who have been forced to migrate. The University is now home to students from over 150 countries. We are always working to build on this inclusive environment and we became a University of Sanctuary in September 2020.

We help sanctuary seekers access a university education by offering a range of financial support. This includes three Equal Access scholarships offered annually to asylum seekers who wish to undertake both undergraduate and postgraduate study. We also offer an enhanced bursary to students who are refugees.

Find out more about our University of Sanctuary status

Contact us

Equality and Diversity Office

equality@york.ac.uk
+44 (0)1904 324680
@EqualityatYork

Contact us

Equality and Diversity Office

equality@york.ac.uk
+44 (0)1904 324680
@EqualityatYork