Overcoming Inertia
There are two great challenges when doing anything in this world. The first is starting, the second, finishing.
It was in the earlier days of the Edinburgh Race Equality Network that the idea of a blog outlining the experiences of BAME staff at the University was first broached. The idea was that it would be a place for us to share our stories and to get others to understand that even in a “nice” city, there are still problems to be found. We hoped that the stories of how we got hear and who we are might have lessons to impart to others.
So here is that first step conquered, overcoming inertia.
I put my head over the parapet as the first in line and wrote a piece about my experiences as a mixed race individual who passes as white. Maybe not the BAME story we immediately think of when the topic of experiences of racism come up, but I thought it worth the saying.
I also hope that I will not be the only voice here, that others within the community will find it in themselves to share their thoughts and feelings, be they hope, anger, confusion or any of the myriad reactions we haver to the world around us.
So please, do send in your stories. I know I certainly want to hear them.
David Creighton-Offord
Co-convenor EREN
