Black
lives
matter
On May 25th 2020, George Floyd, an
unarmed African American, was killed by a
white police officer who knelt on his neck for
nearly nine minutes in Minneapolis.
The killing of George Floyd has sparked
protest across the globe, including here in
Jersey. At the beginning of June, hundreds
of islands gathered in People’s Park for
a peaceful protest where they knelt for
George Floyd and racial justice.
The demonstration was organised to show
solidarity with the global Black Lives Matter
movement. "We kneel in solidarity with
those who are expressing their hurt and anger
towards the racism experienced by America's
black community. We join them in demanding
better of ourselves and our institutions. In the
age of information, ignorance is no longer an
excuse." - Nicola Twiston Davies
and Jude Kriwald, organisers
The kneel was followed by speeches
from activists, politicians and members
of the black community.
Lesley Katsande
Imagine your niece coming home from school telling you that
her friend said, ‘there’s too many black people in this school
now.’ Imagine walking in a local bookshop and the shopkeeper
says, ‘excuse me miss, is it illegal in Jersey to call you the
N-word?’ I still see this individual to this day.
We live in a global world; we are global citizen. Covid-19 has
spread because we are global citizens. We cannot eat imported
avocados from America and ignore Americas problems. We
cannot wear diamonds from Zimbabwe, eat cocoa from Ivory
Coast and import labour from Kenya and ignore their problems.
To Jersey’s senior leaders, our young have organised this
gathering because they are hurt and embarrassed by the
injustices, discrepancies in our society – we have to support
them. To Jersey’s senior leaders, our young people have come
to say ‘we see you, your actions, the system has to change it is
not working.’ The underlying discrimination, systematic and
institutional racism is not only in America but in Jersey as well.
And I know this hurts to hear, but it’s the truth.
To Jersey’s senior leaders, we want strong follow up. Training,
guidelines, policies, and procedures to investigate racism
and discrimination in workplaces, schools, and the wider
community. It starts by acknowledging the victim. A lot of time
we hear, and we are told, ‘It’s a difficult one to prove.’ Please
do not hide behind the facade of it being hard. I personally feel
the truth is no one is willing to give this their full attention,
funding, and strong support for investigative procedures to be
put in place. Hiding behind the complexity of setting these
procedures, is that not under current discrimination? I am
challenging all audit firms, investment companies and banks
in Jersey to give equal pay to our brothers and sisters you are
employing straight from Africa. Again, you hide behind the
negotiation tactics and say everyone is free to negotiate their pay.
How can I negotiate on a lifestyle I have never lived?
To the companies operating in developing countries, you have
a moral duty to improve those areas, you are employing their
locals - including growing their executives in the same way
Jersey inspires to grow their own business leaders. Please set up
your companies to fully give back to those communities you
are doing business from.
Let’s support our young people. Let’s empower them. They are
the future ministers and representatives of tomorrow. Their
activism has to be supported for them to keep fighting for what is
right. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for supporting
all black, Asian and minority ethnics in Jersey and around the
world. Please do not let the memory of Mr Floyd be in vain. Let
it be the start of having the difficult and sensitive conversation
surrounding racism and discrimination in Jersey.
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