Anne Watson
At our Local Meeting for Worship for Business on 6 December, racism in Oxford was one of the items. This is part of the minute from that discussion:
“We would like to invite Friends with relevant experience to put forward their own names, or the names of others known to have experience, to Nominations Committee, to join the Police Independent Advisory Group (IAG) which monitors diversity in Oxford. We suggest the appointment ideally be made initially for two years from the point at which they are appointed to the IAG committee, and that young people be encouraged to apply.”
The Independent Advisory Group is community-led, and advises and monitors policing on matters of community and diversity such as hate crime and stop-and-search. Current members include representatives from both universities, several churches and faiths, LGBT, and other concerned groups. More information about its remit and function can be found at:
https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/police-forces/thames-valley- police/areas/au/about-us/partnerships-sponsors/what-is-an-iag/. (Links may need to be copied and pasted into your browser.)
Meetings take place every three months and seem to be generally held from 18:00 to 20:00. Although the Oxford IAG does not put its minutes online, a google search of ‘Oxford IAG Thames Valley Police’ will give you access to minutes of related meetings and papers that will give you an idea of the issues discussed. You might also look at the stop-and-search policy and practice at
https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/st-s/stop-and-search/.
In the first instance Nominations would like names of Friends who are interested in this work themselves, and suggestions of people who might be approached. Our nominee would apply to join the IAG and the application would be vetted by normal police methods, so the whole process of joining takes some time.
If you think you might be able to do this work, or know someone in our Meeting (or Headington Meeting) who might be appropriate please contact Nominations through Linet Arthur who can be emailed via the Office.
Other ways Quakers might engage in issues of local racism:
There are other ways in which Quakers can engage with issues of racism in our city in addition to individual action in campaigning groups. For example, Oxford Anti-Racist City (ARC) would like Quakers to endorse their vision and values, see:
https://www.antiracistcity.com/oxford and https://www.antiracistcity.com/about-vision-values.
ARC is a platform for a wide variety of local groups, initiatives, and events that have anti-racism in their underlying values. Local Meeting agreed that it would be useful to gather a small group of Friends who can look at what ARC does and its content, with a view to considering what Quakers can endorse, and bring this back to the next Local Meeting in February. I am convening such a group, please contact me: annewatson1089@gmail.com if you wish to join it and meanwhile look at what ARC offers.
One of the things we might consider is whether we can participate in the ARC series of Uncomfortable Conversations, see
https://www.antiracistcity.com/events.
They say:
“The increased discussions and actions around dismantling systemic and systematic racism through education, the justice system, representation in the arts, employment and politics has led to conversations at all levels of British society. Anti-Racist City Oxford are facilitating a series of conversations for Oxonians in a safe space to explore some of the questions and sensitive topics through a dialogue, opportunity for Q&A. These conversations will be based on lived experiences and will aim to give participants the tools to continue their own learning in this sensitive area.”
The website lists the conversations that have taken place so far, including titles such as: ‘Do we really need Black Lives Matter?’; ‘Institutional, systemic and systematic – what?’; and ‘I’m not racist, I have black friends’.
ARC have suggested that Quakers might like to host an ‘Uncomfortable Conversation’. Our reputation for social justice and opposing slavery might give us some credibility but might aso lead to an interesting conversation about contradictions in our colonial history, our demography, or about other persecuted or ignored groups. Perhaps people who followed the Woodbrooke course during 2020 might be able to suggest and/or offer something appropriate. I am not necessarily the best person to convene a Conversation as I did not follow that course, but am happy to be a link for people who think they might be able to follow this up, with discernment by LM.
Finally, as individuals:
Mothers4justice-Ubuntu is a local organisation that aims to disrupt the pipeline between school and prison into which too many young black people get sucked. They are setting up training for people of all ethnic backgrounds who will volunteer to be alongside young people and their parents during arrests, charges, warnings, court, sentencing, punishment, community orders, prison, release, probation etc. When this scheme is launched it will be announced via a General Circulation email, but you could also watch out for it at:
https://mothers4justiceubuntu.com/
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Forty-Three e-Newsletter • Number 501 • January 2021
Oxford Friends Meeting
43 St Giles, Oxford OX1 3LW
newsletter@oxfordquakers.org