Navigating Issues of Race and Identity in 2024

Video Message from Ada Akpala

How should we navigate the issues of race and identity in 2024? This past year has not been without its challenges and incidents. Almost weekly, new reports have surfaced, proclaiming the pervasive and irredeemable racism in the UK. Institutions such as the police, British cricket, rugby, football, the monarchy—even the black death—have all been subjects of scrutiny.

We also witnessed a constant rewriting of our favourite stories and of history itself. Segregation even made a cool comeback this year, with separate spaces being welcomed in the name of creating safe environments for "non-whites."

It is worrying that it seems we have taken a huge step backward, moving away from the humanistic ideals we have long fought to embed in our societies - such as treating one another as humans, not as caricatures or avatars of certain identity groups, and judging character rather than skin colour.

So, how should we navigate the issues of race and identity in 2024? Going back to these basics is a start. Resisting the urge to capitalise socially and financially using the status of victimhood, saying a complete no to divisive rhetoric and misleading narratives, and championing common humanity and free speech.

Let's hope the tone of the conversation changes in the new year. I joined some friends to talk about this further: Ayishat Akanbi, Patience Xina, and Inaya Folarin, director of the Equiano Project. It's up on our YouTube channel, and I highly recommend that you check it out. (Apologies in advance for the audio quality, there were some technical issues that we just couldn’t bypass, but I hope you still find value in the content of what is being discussed)

Happy New Year!

Ada Akpala,

Head of Content for The Equiano Project.