#Race for power

Earlier this year, on Martin Luther King's birthday, Curiosity UnLtd launched #RaceForPower. At its heart, #RaceForPower is inspired by the 60th anniversary of King's iconic "I Have A Dream" speech on August 28th, 1963. On the same day, the Bristol Bus Boycott won its fight for jobs and equality against the 'Colour bar.' This official Trade Union policy discriminated against Black & Brown people from working as Bus drivers. With echoes of Rosa Parkes, this peaceful protest led to the creation of the landmark Race Relations Act. It outlawed workplace discrimination, and today, it forms the backbone of the Equalities Act 2010.

Curiosity Unltd Founder and Disruptor-In-Chief, Julz Davis, said, "As one of the UK's wealthiest cities, Bristol is 650 years old this year. While it has an uneasy relationship with its legacy of slavery, it also has a profound history of being powered by radical racial changemakers. This includes the Bristol Bus Boycott helping to shape the Race Relations Act. As a city, Bristol elected Europe's first Black City Mayor; it also toppled Colston's statue. Yet despite these contributions to racial justice, as revealed by a report from the Runnymede Trust, Bristol is the 7th worse place for people of colour to live in the UK*. So, if you're Black or Brown in Bristol, whether recruitment, employment, business, education, housing, policing, health, or wealth – systemic racism and inequality are an everyday reality." Julz added, "Inspired by these and other influential anniversaries* in racial justice on Martin Luther King Jr Day, Curiosity Unltd launched #RaceForPower. This year long citywide campaign will challenge civic, cultural, corporate, and community organisations to co-create a radical grassroots blueprint. The dream is to elevate and purposefully accelerate Bristol to be the most equal place in the UK for people of colour to live."Given the global spotlight of BLM toppling the statue in 2020, #RaceForPower launched under the shadow of the Colston plinth.

Honouring the 500,000 enslaved Africans who sailed in ships that came from Bristol, #RaceForPower opened up with a potent drumming libation by cultural activist Kabbo, Hue Ferdinand. This was followed by a stunning urban balletic piece to Sam Cook's Change is Gonna Come by Anna Demming Davis of Southwest Dance Theatre. And as the sun shone, Dionne Draper gave a stirring unplugged rendition of Summertime by Sarah Vaughan. The public was invited to sign a life-size card featuring Martin Luther King Jr to capture their thoughts on three pressing themes; The state of King's Dream today and if it still matters, How best to celebrate the Bristol Bus Boycott's contribution to racial equity in the UK, Ideas to elevate Bristol to the No. 1 best place for people of colour to live in the UK. On the day, here's what some people said about progress 60 years on from King's Dream:

Mose-Issie said, "Dreaming is lovely, but now is the time to wake up for meaningful action."

Clare said, "We must protect and encourage the dreamers, nurturing their imaginative capacity to dream a better world."

Naomi asked, "Who are the dreamers today, and how can we amplify their voices? It wasn't just a dream. It was an action plan.' And Victoria, the Deputy Director of SARI, said, "His dream is as relevant today as it was 60 years ago. And although we have made progress, the issues of racism, inequality and discrimination are interwoven into all systems in society."

Contributions to #RaceForPower include comments from influential civic and community figures like City Mayor Marvin Rees, Deputy Mayor Asher Craig, High Sheriff of Bristol Alex Raikes, and Lord Lieutenant Peaches Golding. Also, Bristol Bus Boycott leaders Guy Reid-Bailey OBE and Barbara Dettering, both of whom recently received the Freedom of the City of Bristol.

Regarding what he hopes to come out of #RaceForPower, Julz Davis said,

"Everyone's responses will help co-create a radical grassroots blueprint to unlock activism and diversity in Bristol as its untapped super-power." People's answers will also help to shape a large-scale celebration for the Bristol Bus Boycott, an outdoor art gallery at 60 sites across the city; grassroots communities will deliver podcasts, debates, poems, and other creative interventions. And there are also plans to send a replica of the card to the King Centre in America.

To join the #RaceForPower movement to speak truth to power, scan the QR code and tell us about what’s your dream for diversity in the following three ways:

1. You can download, print, and complete one or all of the three question cards.

2. If you don't have a printer, don't worry; you can complete a digital question card or pick up one from various locations across the city.

3. Drop in to one of the #RaceForPower pop-up events and sign the giant card. They're justfinalizing sites, so to stay in the loop, you can sign up for their newsletter.

Whichever way works for you, please take a selfie. Get creative. Write it. Draw it. Voice note it. Share it. Like it. Tag it. Follow the, @ Curiosity_UnLtd and #RaceForPower. Otherwise, every Monday from 2-4 pm, tune into Diverse Perspectives with Mistri on Ujima Radio on 98fm or www.ujimara