Antiracism work has always been important work, so I will not use clichés like ‘Today’ or ‘Now more than ever.’ The fact remains that when you look around Europe, we are confronted with the mainstreaming of hate. Islamophobia, antisemitism, anti-Black racism, antigypsyism, anti-Asian hate, and anti-Latino hate are prevalent in ways that we could not have imagined 5 years ago.
The gruesome murder of George Floyd was meant to be a watershed moment where, as a society, we collectively committed to combating hate and racism in all its forms and wherever it reared its ugly head. However, we are faced with the opposite. Those who preach hate now disguise their vitriol in anti-migrant discourse, liberal Islamophobia, and cultural preservation rhetoric.
We cannot be deceived. Europe is a dangerous place for racialized and minoritised people. This is why we must engage our elected officials and civil society actors to ensure that Antiracism work is prioritized, funded, and supported. Our lives literally depend on this.
The struggle is real, the battle is uphill, but we persevere because we must! Please, join our efforts. Disseminate this as widely as possible and engage your loved ones, friends, and colleagues. Together, let us rid society of racism!
Can’t appreciate enough my colleagues Julie Pascoët and Nourhene M. who have been leading European Network Against Racism Aisbl (ENAR)’s efforts to reestablish the Antiracism and Diversity Intergroup (ARDI) at the European Parliament.