We’ve been ‘Seeking the Pioneers’. Here They Are.
Find out more about our incredible pioneers who are part of our anti-racism project, kindly supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery Players.
Browse through the individuals who are celebrated and recognised as part of ‘Seeking The Pioneers’ project today.
Pioneers from the present who have shared their inspiring stories of struggle, challenges and how they overcame them.
"I believe there are two types of racism: one is physical, and the other is in policy, structures, and systems."
"Anti-racism is social justice - championing equality, promoting diversity, protecting the vulnerable, empowering communities, and advancing opportunities for young people."
"‘Do anti-racists retire?’ We don’t have the luxury of retiring because racism doesn’t retire."
"I don't just talk about change— I build it, challenge it, and makes it impossible to ignore."
Any community that is disempowered is never going to have equality.
"Black history is not just about a set of people, but actually it is British history."
"Race itself is a social construct. The more we act as if it’s real, the more we reinforce the very divisions racism depends on."
"The world was made with beautiful flowers, roses, tulips with different colours, and if it was just the rose that was a red flower. What a boring world that will be."
"I could not get an answer except the fact that I was a Black person."
"True anti-racism demands dismantling exploitation itself."
"Anti racism means understanding the historical root causes of racism and actually being involved in the struggles to dismantle it."
"An anti-racist city — and world — looks like not having to fight for something as basic as God’s given freedom."
We celebrate the incredible work, contributions and endless efforts of the ‘Pivotal Pioneers’.
Pioneers from the past who will never be forgotten for their fight for equality and against injustice.
"Aijaz was not just an unsung hero; he was a living embodiment of the revolutionary ideal—a man who understood that the fight for justice is not about personal glory, but about the collective liberation of all people."
“I’m Punjabi. I’m Indian. I’m Black. That’s my identity.”
“Freedom is not a gift. It is won through collective struggle.”
“The racism of Britain is not an accident — it is the child of empire.”
“Never again.”
“All my life and all my strength were devoted to the greatest cause of all – the liberation of humankind.”
“Racism is not simply about individual prejudice; it is embedded in social structures, institutions, and everyday practices.”
Share your story with us and apply to become a Pioneer.
