Anti-Racist City
Making Birmingham an Anti-Racist city by 2035
Our Mission
To Make Birmingham an Anti-Racist City
An anti-racist city is not defined by statements of intent or public values. It is defined by how power is exercised, how decisions are made and whose lives are improved as a result.
For Birmingham, becoming an anti-racist city by 2035 means recognising that racial inequality is not accidental. It is produced and sustained by systems, policies and practices, and it will only change if those systems are intentionally reshaped.
An anti-racist city requires institutions to:
- Name racism openly and take responsibility for addressing it
- Examine how decisions, resources and risk are distributed
- Act on evidence of racial inequality, not just explain it away
- Be accountable for outcomes, not just effort or intention
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What Making a Pledge Means
Making a commitment to an anti-racist city is not a symbolic act. It is a public acknowledgement that how your organisation currently operates may need to change.
A meaningful pledge requires:
- Willingness to look honestly at where racism shows up in your systems
- Commitment to long-term change, not one-off initiatives
- Openness to challenge, scrutiny and learning
Readiness to be held to account for progress over time
Angela Davis
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From Anti-Racism to Beyond Racism
Anti-racism is essential. It confronts harm, challenges injustice and demands accountability.
But it is not the endpoint.
Moving beyond racism means building systems and cultures in which racial inequality no longer has fertile ground to persist – where equity, dignity and shared humanity are embedded into how the city plans, delivers and governs.
An anti-racist city is the bridge between where we are now and that future.
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Support, Structure & Accountability
BRIG exists to support this work at the level where it matters most – systems, leadership and place.
We provide:
- Clear frameworks that set standards for what anti-racism looks like in practice
- Evidence and position papers to inform decision-making
- Space for honest, difficult conversations
- Support that combines challenge with learning
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A Shared Responsibility
Becoming an anti-racist city is not the work of one organisation or sector. But it does require leadership – and leadership requires courage.
This is an invitation to institutions across Birmingham to engage seriously with what anti-racism demands, and to play their part in building a fairer city, more just and fit for the future.
An anti-racist city is not something we declare.
It is something we are prepared to be accountable for.
Anti-Racist City Pledge Signatories
You too can sign the pledge, like the many signatories who have already shown us their tremendous support, to make Birmingham a city we can be proud of, united, fair, equal and looking beyond racism.
Key Institutions
Birmingham City Council – John Cotton, Nicky Brennan, Saima Suleman, Sal Naseem
West Midlands Metro Mayor – Richard Parker
WMCA – Claire Dhami, Lucy Gosling, Kwabena Osayande, Sharonjit Clare
Police and Crime Commissioner West Midlands – Simon Foster
West Midlands Police – Alethea Fuller, Hannah Pittaway
Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board – Patrick Vernon, Salma Yaqoob, David Melbourne, Afzal Hussain
Birmingham Voluntary Services Council – Brian C, Elizabeth G
Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce – H Brealey, D Harrison
Anti-Racist, Race Equality and Activists
Kings Heath United Against Racism – Mukhtar Dar
Dea John Reid Movement – Des Jaddoo
Stand Up to Racism Birmingham – Bob Maloney
- West Midlands Police – Alethea Fuller, Hannah Pittaway
Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board – Patrick Vernon, Salma Yaqoob, David Melbourne, Afzal Hussain
Birmingham Voluntary Services Council – Brian C, Elizabeth G
Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce – H Brealey, D Harrison
Arts & Culture
Kalaboration Arts – Mukhtar Dar, Shirin Housee
Punch Records – Ammo Talwar, Nikki Reiggon
DESIblitz – Indi Deol
The Rep – Rachael Thomas
B:Music – Anita Bhalla
More Than A Moment – Elizabeth Lawa
Centre for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Arts (CEDIA) – Karan Patel
Black History Arts & More (BHAM)/Black Heritage Walks Network CIC – Dawn Carr
Cultural Central – Erica Love
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