This issue unashamedly shines a spotlight on the reality of
structural racism and discrimination. Kwaku Agyemang,
an occupational therapist who created the ‘OT and Chill’
podcast, and Musharrat J Ahmed-Landeryou, an occupational
therapy lecturer at London South Bank University, look at the
global impact of the #BlackLivesMatter movement, following
the very public murder of George Floyd on 25 May 2020 in the
US.
Following an episode of Kwaku’s podcast to explore BAME
occupational therapists’ experiences within the profession, here
they share some of the painful experiences students,
occupational therapists and educators have experienced.
From daily microaggressions and unconscious bias in the workplace, a university experience
that can exacerbate segregation, especially in the classroom, a lack of support and understanding
on placements, to a lack of representation in leadership roles, they demonstrate that structural
racism is real.
Musharrat goes further and says: ‘If we are a profession that believes in advocating and
empowering those we work with, we cannot continue to stand by and watch colleagues feel the
way they do.’
They urge occupational therapists to form alliances, to be local activists, to push for change, for
fairness and justice, and to engender change and representation through one interaction and one
intervention at a time.
Then, in an article written before the death of George Floyd, on pages 20 to 22, Awele Odeh
shines a light on discrimination in the profession, an issue she asserts that is rarely discussed.
Using the Gibbs’ reflective cycle, she shares her own experience of discrimination during her
undergraduate training and practice as a clinician, and urges people to start talking about diversity
and inclusion.
Occupational therapist Somia Elise Jan, who is of dual heritage, has also been compelled to
reflect more deeply on her own experience of coming from a minority background and on her
journey to becoming an occupational therapist. In this issue, she is urging the occupational
therapy profession to be more open, and for others enduring similar hardships to share their
experiences. Turn to pages 24 to 26.
And finally, on the Unison page we ask head of equality Gloria Mills to provide some context on
racism in the UK and explain how the union is at the forefront of the fight against it.
As Kwaku and Musharrat stress, it is okay to talk to your BAME colleagues about racism and
discrimination. It is okay to feel uncomfortable, because it is.
editor’s
comment
Tracey Samuels, Editor
If you have any feedback about this issue of OTnews, or
would like to contribute a short article or feature for a future
publication, please email me at: [email protected]