We want all South Africans to #UniteAgainstRacism by bearing in the mind the following pointers:  

Educate: Being educated and educating others about racism is essential. You can learn about what constitutes racism: what is subtle racism, personal racism and systemic or structural racism. You can gather information about how you may be perpetuating racism, even unknowingly, and how to change this. Take the time to understand our divided history and issues related to ‘privilege’ and building an equitable society. Learn about how to recognise racism, how to call it out and challenge it. You can also educate your family, friends and colleagues about it. 

Mobilise: We don’t want you to be the lone ranger tackling racism. We want you to be joining hands with others and uniting against racism. This means moblising other people to tackle racism with you. It means not just putting up a status against racism on social media, but getting your friends to do so as well. It means getting all the members of your school, community or workplace to jointly do something to better understand racism and to demonstrate support against it.

Act: We are calling on you to take action against racism. We’ve seen very powerful examples of how people have called out racists on social media, how pupils have challenged school policies that are discriminatory and how others have refused to be racially abused. You can do the same, not only if you are a victim of racism, but if you see it being perpetrated against someone else. You can be empowered to speak out against racism; to organise marches, pickets and awareness drives against it; to consider legal avenues to challenge it; and to tackle systemic discrimination within institutions.

Practical things to do during Anti-Racism Week

Workplace discussion forums: Host a discussion during your lunch break at work addressing issues of race and institutionalised racism. Consider hosting diversity training courses.

Schools: Schools can host assemblies against racism. Learners can be encouraged to learn about racism in class or host pickets against racism outside their schools. Consider developing and implementing an anti-racism policy at your school.  Organisations/ faith based institutions: Host community dialogues on addressing racism. Screen a film that deals with issues of race and host a discussion thereafter. Consider anti-racism training courses for members. Also consider sermons, lectures or congregational gathering against racism. 

Sports organisations: Dedicate sports games/ tournaments to anti-racism during the week. Develop strategies to address racism on the sports field, within teams and amongst spectators. Host dialogues on issues such as transformation within the sporting sector. 

Institutions: Just as apartheid legislation saw signage preventing certain ‘races’ from accessing public amenities, put up signage at your housing complex/ school/ university/ workplace/ government department etc, emphasising that the facility is open to people across all ‘races’. This can be accompanied by an awareness raising programme or discussion on addressing racism at the particular institution. ARNSA has artwork of a pre-designed sign that can be sent to institutions on request. 

Individual Pledge: Pledge your support to #UniteAgainstRacism by using social media to advocate anti-racism awareness. Tag us at @AntiRacismNet. 

Attend Anti-Racism Week activities: ARNSA affiliated organisations will be hosting activities during Anti-Racism Week. Attend these or engage with us on possible partnerships. Call 011 854 0082 for details.