Asif grew up in Stechford and always had an interest in challenging the racism and far-right activity he saw around him on the streets and in the playground. His Dad was a postman who had immigrated from Pakistan and always instilled in him a sense of justice and the need to stand up for the things you believe in. Asif went on to study political science at uni and then did another degree in human rights before joining brap.
Asif worked for brap for 23 years. During his time at brap, Asif worked with the team to progress awareness of anti-racism both within Birmingham and beyond. From Asif’s perspective, the solidarity between the team, amazing leadership from brap’s CEO (Joy Warmington) and the team’s constant willingness to develop and improve its own awareness of anti-racism was what helped the organisation to have such a strong impact in the world over two decades (and still counting!).
In the early days of his work at brap as Research Manager, Asif undertook research to gather evidence about the level of race inequality in the city (in fields like drug treatment, infant mortality, stop and search and educational attainment). This was hard work in an environment (both local and national) that was largely hostile to discussion of race equality. This research evidence was often used by him as he later became Deputy Chief Executive and by brap’s Chief Executive to hold Birmingham’s public authorities to account in public meetings for their progress on issues of race equality.
Joy and Asif, working with the rest of the team, published prolifically on the topic of racism and the Black and racially minoritised voluntary sector (e.g. the book that they co-wrote called ‘The Pied Piper’ in 2009). Much of this work had both local and national impact. Asif led some of brap’s community development programmes in Birmingham– supporting Black and racially minoritised community groups to get themselves established and secure funding. Many of these organisations are still active and leading the way on issues of race equality in the city. He also collaborated with the team to undertake many national research and policy activities to push the boundaries of anti-racist practice (e.g. influential work with large charities like Macmillan, Amnesty UK and Oxfam GB).
In the last few years of his time at brap, Asif was a Panel Member on the Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society in England and joined various national boards to try and support change on issues of anti-oppression in the philanthropic sector. With the brap team, Asif wrote an influential review of the state of racism in civil society in England. This was launched just before the Covid-19 pandemic and the murder of Mr George Floyd in the US, and helped to build a much more visible movement for change on issues of anti-racism in UK civil society.
Asif is currently Chief Executive of Barrow Cadbury Trust – a charitable foundation in the UK that works with others to bring about structural change for a more just and equal society.
When asked what makes a city anti-racist, Asif says:
“An anti-racist city knows and acknowledges what it has not done well. It acknowledges the trauma of racialised harm, and it is willing to engage with it, work with it, and take accountability for it!”
