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THREAD: a few weeks ago @IWestmids wrote an open letter to @BhamCityCouncil and @NHSBSolCCG about diversity in leadership. In light of the #BlackLivesMatterUK movement and protests, it spotlighted the reality that people of colour see in the top institutions in the city...
2. This was the story that resulted. A few people contacted me - some to suggest this was a universal problem, others to highlight issues in other organisations, some to accuse me of being a racist and trying to cause division (not sure about that one
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/everyone-white-call-more-diversity-18389143
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/everyone-white-call-more-diversity-18389143
3. Anyway, it didn't take a lot of digging to see this was indeed pretty much par for the course in the top tier of leadership in the city. We are a city, remember, that is likely to have a majority black and Asian population by the time the next census comes out next year.
4. We are also about to host the #Birmingham2022 #CommonwealthGames - an amazing opportunity to showcase the city and attract in millions of vital investment. The leadership here too is almost wholly white in composition. https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/birmingham-commonwealth-games-2022-diversity-18455089
5. Is this a surprise? Should we care? Does it matter? Isn't it just about getting the best people for the job? Not for the first time, the city's commitment to diversity in leadership is being questioned and it doesn't look brilliant.
6. Back in 2001, @BhamCityCouncil hosted the Stephen Lawrence Commission, to look at systemic racism in public sector, following the teen's racist murder. It found a lack of representation at the top was a problem. Recommendations were made, progress was pledged...
7. It reported there was "institutionalised racism" in the city council and a "tendency for blacks and whites to live in different areas". 'Despite years of anti-racist initiatives the council had failed to achieve its objectives because of a "lack of will" at the top.
8. It pointed out how little racial diversity there was in the corridors of power. Then there were riots, and more reports and inquiries, then in 2017 @andy4wm set up a leadership commission to investigate it. And here we are today...
9. There are no easy solutions - as @PauletteHamilto @PreetKGillMP @braphumanrights @AnitaBhalla @S_H_Saeed @COREeducate @CllrMajid and more articulate. But something has to change or we will always get what we've always got. https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/uncomfortable-truth-lack-diversity-birminghams-18508132
10. And then this @COREeducate chief: "it's just as condescending & cynical as politicians who want to visit my schools for photo opp with some kids in hijabs. The kids don't need to be in a photo - they want you to make their life chances more equal, that starts with leaders."
