Our spheres of influence and howwe are using them
The murder of George Floyd was a catalyst for scrutiny of racial injustice and inequity that focused minds on the systemic and institutional racism that provides the backdrop to millions of people’s everyday lives. At MHFA England we, like many others, committed to take a long hard look at ourselves and do everything it takes to become a truly anti-racist organisation. We also committed to work alongside partners and collaborators to influence change across the mental health sector, with the ultimate goal of contributing to the elimination of racial disparities in mental health outcomes.
The statistics we’ve shared in this report highlight the racial bias and mental health stigma experienced by People of Colour and Black people, and they present a clear case for change. But change needs more than just words or rhetoric. Change needs action to be taken if it is to be real, systemic, and sustainable. Here, we set out what we are doing and what still needs to be done to transform our commitment into actions and bring about true change. An agenda for change, in MHFA England and beyond Our ambition is to be a leading anti-racist social enterprise, actively challenging racism in everything we do. The programme of change that we have committed to will ensure that every value, belief, policy, and document of ours is underpinned by a clear commitment to anti-racism, race equity, and social justice. employers and others who, like us, want to see the commitments they made in 2020 drive meaningful long-term change. We are doing this by developing new training like our Race Equity and Mental Health course , and by creating high-profile awareness campaigns such as My Whole Self . But this is not limited to our own community. We also want to help
Being Black is more than a trend. It is a shared experience, an identity, it is everything. So, when the scramble is over and the hashtags are replaced by another, Black people will still have to carry on living with their internalised experiences.
Lola Jaye – Author and registered psychotherapist
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