Are British educational institutions serious about embracing diversity?

Are some British educational institutions really serious about embracing diversity, equity and inclusion in relation to Black people?

As some readers know I have been a diabetes ambassador/advocate/activist for nearly a decade with a passion, drive and commitment for getting not only the narrative changed but making actions speak louder than words in terms of the changes that need to take place for Black people to feel less marginalized, underserved and historically ignored/neglected in all spheres of life in Britain.

The Black Lives Matter movement and Covid-19 have both proved beyond a doubt the health/racial disparities and inequalities that Black people are constantly experiencing.  It is no surprise to me and others that across Britain there is now a concerted effort in a lot of areas to finally and not before time take on board the racism that has been staring us in the face for decades.  Some of us from various ethnic groups and that includes conscious White people have been urging for meaningful change for ages and to no avail.  With a background in equality, equity, diversity and inclusion for over 40 years this has been part of my lived experience/reality, modus operandi and in my DNA as a Black man.

Oxford University like other institutions decided to reach out to the Black community in an effort to show a commitment to engaging with us and by so doing become more diverse and put in to practice measures that we can resonate with.  Various departments have seen, read or heard about how I garner, embrace, promote and value diversity in its truest sense of the word and invited me to come on board and encourage other Black people to do likewise as most of their health and medical research is done from a White/Eurocentric standpoint which hardly involves Black participants.  Their level of cultural competence is lacking in many respects. With my in-depth knowledge and understanding as a community activist and patient expert on health related matters averaging 150 community diabetes awareness raising events  per year I jumped at the opportunity to become  involved and steer them in the right direction. Other august bodies too numerous to mention do that routinely  and being retired there is a clear understanding over the years that I am offered an honorarium which means  one does not have to declare that remuneration to HM Revenue and Customs more commonly referred to as the ‘tax man/woman’.  

Oxford University started off in good faith like all the other establishments/organizations and paid me accordingly.  Some have chosen to give gift vouchers instead which is equally acceptable.  Suddenly there was an insistence by that university that I provide my national insurance number to which I strongly objected on a point of principle. No other establishment who offers me an honorarium which is not taxable has EVER asked for this detail. This in my view has the hallmarks of what a lot of Windrush generation people have experienced over time in order to prove their legitimacy and right to be treated fairly as British citizens. I would not even describe it as bureaucratic red-tape but a subtle form of racism.

Being British born I receive the state pension and a work related pension  after  30+ years of gainful employment  in central and local government and am not going to have any  institution use its power and control to insist that I must suddenly provide them with my national insurance details.  What exactly is the purpose of such information as I am yet to receive a satisfactory answer?  So in one breath they  want to have more Black people become involved in their medical research projects  and in the next want to put in stipulations and regulations  which are reminiscent of George Orwell’s  Animal Farm novel where ‘All animals are born equal but some are more equal than others’.  I have therefore withdrawn from the projects that university had sought my help with.   Black people are  as the Jamaican saying goes ‘Tired of being tired’ and I am not going to allow this to be brushed under the carpet, hence it being my article  for the  CaribDirect.com readers to realize how much we are treated differently.  Their take on wanting more Black people to put themselves forward and then pull the rug from under their feet or slam the door in their face is not something I could ever agree to. As the Jamaican saying goes ‘They need to wheel and turn and come again’ as their stance is hypocritical, unacceptable and a continuation of abuse of power and control. It amounts in my view to a subtle form of racism.

I am not prepared to be used as a pawn in these games being played and tokenistic gestures noted above and will go where my contribution is really valued and I do not have to face such unwarranted scrutiny.  Their loss will be someone else’s gain.