Why has nobody told me this before?

When I was first asked to participate in cohort 1 of the Building Racial Literacy course, I did not anticipate the powerful impact it would have on me personally. My daily retort has been why has nobody told me this before? One of the compulsory tasks was to write a reflective journal and I remember sighing at the thought. I hadn’t written one of those since my university days, over twenty years ago. To be honest, it was not something I was particularly looking forward to. Fast forward three months, and I have written nearly five thousand words! It has been cathartic and emotional. I refer to the Building Racial Literacy (BRL) course daily at home and in school. I related to just about everything on a personal level through my own lived experiences. I went through a rollercoaster of emotions. It is difficult to verbalise the intensity of positivity and hope that resonates from BRL.

It has, simply put, been the best learning experience I have ever had during my adult life, and I cannot recommend the BRL course highly enough. I feel so hopeful that there are many inspirational and powerful voices in Scotland, within the arena of anti-racism, and they are not afraid to tell it like it is. I have lived for too many years trying to blend in, hold back and keep my head down. I feel that I have ripped a label off my back and thrown it in the wind. I will not be put in a box. I will not be marginalised. I will not be quietened. Mujhe suna jaye ga. I will be heard. Mujhe dekha jaye ga. I will be visible. I have a renewed sense of power, motivation, hope and positivity.

Building Racial Literacy has inspired me to pursue and follow my passion. I have recently been appointed as Education Development Officer: English as an Additional Language (EAL) and Diversity in Learning and Teaching. I believe the BRL training, messages, voices, support and knowledge pushed me towards applying for this job and resulted in a successful appointment. I believe I am the first person of colour in Primary Education to be in a promoted post in my local authority. This is something I am fiercely proud of. I feel I am doing something valuable for people who look like me!

Personally, for the first time, I feel hopeful. I feel hopeful because Education Scotland is discussing this on a national platform. I feel hopeful because I have been exposed to so many valuable resources to help me make sense of my racial identity and journey. I feel hopeful because white educators are being encouraged to explore their conscious and unconscious biases and educate themselves on the racial diversity of their classrooms and staffrooms. I feel hopeful that BRL will make a real difference to the way we teach in Scotland and the way we think about people of colour. I feel hopeful because we are edging, very slowly, towards a change in mindsets.