Black Teens Like Me Have The Future In Our Hands. Here’s What We Must Do With It
The future belongs to today’s youth.
From the climate crisis to the economy, my generation will shape, rethink and reimagine the future. Black teenagers like me will have to shape an agenda of environmental, economic and racial justice to build a society where everyday in the workplace, in schools and in the criminal justice system Black lives are treated like they matter. This is how we can achieve that goal.
The systemic racism that afflicts British society is largely invisible to those who don’t sit at the sharp end of it. Some high profile cases of police brutality are well-known, like those of Edson Da Costa, Rashan Charles or Mark Duggan – powerful human stories of loss to police violence highlight how Black people are twice as likely to die in police custody as white people. But still other, less visible injustices, ruin and cut short the lives of Black people everyday.
Take climate change. It’s widely unknown that most air pollution deaths happen in the UK’s most diverse communities. Take education. Black pupils are consistently the most underpredicted group in a-level and GCSE exams. Take healthcare. Black women are five times more likely to die during childbirth than white women.
The misery and suffering caused by these injustices is very tangible and real but, unlike police brutality, they don’t attract press or have recognisable victims. But still it’s vital we tackle them.
A new future is on its way, and my generation, building on the victories of our elders and correcting their mistakes, are paving the path for progress
I believe the most powerful and impactful change happens on two levels: work done within communities to deal with specific needs and issues, and wider mass societal change which address the root causes of injustice. Black community groups are doing brilliant work today to deliver mentorship, food, education and other needs to our community. But still wider societal change is needed to end the cycle of injustice these...
