This year marks 30 years since 18-year-old Stephen Lawrence was murdered in an unprovoked, racially motivated attack in south-east London.
Stephen’s death on 22 April 1993 paved the way for a greater understanding of discrimination of all forms and new equalities legislation.
Each year on 22 April, the nation marks Stephen Lawrence Day, and we stand together to celebrate his life and legacy.
With Newham being the most ethnically diverse borough in London, tackling racism, inequality and disproportionality is a crucial priority for the Council.
As part of ongoing work to take action, Newham Council launched an ‘Inspiring Futures’ mentoring programme for young people in collaboration with voluntary and community sector partners - Rights and Equalities in Newham, Exit Foundation, Get Real Youth Services and Fight for Peace. The Council also published its first ethnicity pay gap report for greater transparency and targeted action.
Newham Council has also sought to educate staff and partners through cultural humility training, anti-racism workshops for 2400 staff and highlighting the impact of racial trauma through the Race Equality Staff Forum and a conversation series with Professor Patrick Vernon OBE. As well as developing an inclusive terminology guide focused on talking about race and ethnicity.
Tim Aldridge, Corporate Director of Children and Young People’s Services said: “Stephen Lawrence Day is a reminder to us all of the tragic and senseless racist murder of a young Black man, and of the need for each of us in society to fight against discrimination of all kinds and to stamp out racism from our communities.
“Newham Council is a culturally rich borough which welcomes and celebrates diversity. We are committed to sharing Stephen’s story and taking action against racism to improve the lives of all our residents.”
Mayor of Newham Rokhsana Fiaz, said in her weekly message to residents; “Despite the progress made since Stephen’s death, we cannot afford to be complacent. As the recent Casey Review has shown, there is still much work to be done to address the issue of racism within our police force. This is unacceptable and the Metropolitan Police must take decisive action to address these issues. We need a police force that is truly representative of the communities it serves, with officers who are committed to treating all members of the public with respect and dignity. This requires investment in training and support for officers, as well as measures to increase diversity within the force.”
To find out more about Stephen’s story, visit the Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation website stephenlawrenceday.org