To celebrate Black History Month, and recognise the work and talent of ethnic minority staff, our Partnership will continue to raise the profile of its diverse workforce during October. As part of our ongoing commitment to diversify the leadership of partner organisations, we have given ethnic minority staff a platform to raise their profile during Black History Month. This includes celebrating the work of ethnic minority staff through a series of blogs contributed from across West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership.
If you work in health and care in West Yorkshire and would like to contribute a blog for Black History Month, please email westyorkshire.
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The first day of my second year placement in clinical psychology was eventful. I turned up excited about what lay ahead but anxious as I had never worked in this setting before. I had met my placement supervisor, white and female, the week before and now I was due to meet her at a group home to attend a team meeting. I arrived at the home and was shown to the meeting room. My supervisor arrived a few minutes later and sat at the other end of the room as it was a little busy and cramped. As the chair of the meeting, she said hello to everyone and then turned to me and asked, ‘Are you the new health care assistant’?
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The first Black History Month took place at Kent State University, from 2nd January 1970 to 28th February 1970 (coinciding incidentally with when I was born!). The original aspiration for Black History Month was to remember important people and events in the history of African people; something that was all too often neglected by the wider community, and not taught in schools. Over the years, the month has expanded to include all Black people.
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Mainstream history is often not comprehensive and that is why initiatives such as Black History Month are vital. It illuminates forgotten heroes or “whitewashed” events of our shared past. Raising awareness of these rich stories plants healthy seeds which can have a lasting impact both inside and outside of Black Culture. Black history is abundant and relevant all year!
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In deciding about how I might write this blog, I thought about how I would approach the subject of allyship. A quick google search will provide you with a wealth of information about how to be an ally to Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities but I thought I would share with you my own personal views. Indeed, local examples here in Leeds highlight the strong focus on this key subject with Leeds Teaching Hospital recently sharing their powerful BME Allyship model (IAPPLAUD) which seeks to serve a crucial role in driving racial equality in the organisation
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We are sharing our stories in the hope they will increase understanding, promote diversity and inspire others to create a sense of belonging so that we can all bring our true self to work because it is only then that the magic happens. As a daughter of first generation Pakistani immigrants that grew up in Pendle, Lancashire which is an area that was, and still is predominately populated with families of South Asian heritage, I grew up listening to stories of overt racial discrimination that my parents and many others like them experienced on a daily basis.
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What do you see when you look at me? A hairdresser, a beauty therapist? Things I have heard many times. Or do you see a mother, a wife, someone that loves reading, music and art? Do you see an ‘A star student’, someone that always works hard and fights for what they believe in?