We are living in the future our predecessors built for us, and one day our successors will be living in the future we build for them. So, I wanted to use this Black History Month to celebrate the people of colour who currently contribute to our commonwealth, because they are the real heroes of tomorrow. They work in the present, make the future, and create the history that we all read about. These people are not the celebrities, well-known politicians, or captains of industry that we often see paraded on our television screens. The people I am talking about are the mother who works three jobs to give her kids the best chance in life, the father who provides mentorship, the community activist who persistently raises pressing issues, and all who seek empowerment for the underprivileged. In some sense, they are all the essence of Black History month because you want to see change and growth.
It is this desire for change and growth that unites us all and it is what contributes to the strength of the human spirit. This was at its clearest at the height of the pandemic, where we saw those in the black community who worked courageously on the front line. Of the over 1 million National Health Service staff in the UK, 20% are from a BAME background, despite making up just 13% of the United Kingdom’s population. Tragically, of those brave frontline health workers who died during the pandemic, 64% were from a BAME background. Despite this enormous pressure, these key workers kept our country running while also caring for children and distanced from families, all strengthened by hope and the promise of a better tomorrow.
What we do not hear much about are the family members and community networks who picked up the pieces, filling in the gaps to ensure that those in our community do the job they are called to do. These individuals’ contributions to the mental health of BAME frontline workers are simply invaluable, particularly at the height of the health crisis with vital mental health services being put on hold, leaving those scarred by the pandemic without support. The courage and fortitude shown runs through a long line of black predecessors who have made outstanding contributions to society – those BAME soldiers who fought for Britain in the First and Second World Wars, the Windrush generation, those who fought for race equality in the United Kingdom, and now those who fought against the Coronavirus Pandemic. So, this black history month, I want us to look backwards and reflect on the contributions of BAME individuals this last year, be strengthened by it and move forward courageously into the future.