Congressional Black Caucus
Civil Rights Association
NAAPC/GM Safe Space & Support Group
Advocacy and Support to overturn Racism and Discrimination in Social Housing, Social Services, Neurodiversity, Education
Identifier Name: *...... (West Midlands) - 2024)
Following my reporting of damp and mould in a West Midlands Council-funded property and issues with the contractors and the Council regarding the repairs and temporary housing, and with combined immense pressure from the institutions/individuals involved to vacate the property, I felt forced to move out of the accommodation with my young children, and was then labelled as “intentionally homeless” and a sanction was then applied to me, to exclude me from the housing list, which placed me and my children in a jeopardised situation.
Among the problems I encountered was a falsification that contractors had arrived for repairs and I had denied access to them when I was, in fact, at college at the time, so this was disproven. I was taken to court for antisocial behaviour for what I considered to be a combined effort by those with the ability to have power over me and my family regarding my access to housing, and I believe this to be as a result of me continuously challenging their behaviour including the falsification by their contractors, my refusal to remain in the one-bed flat during the period of repairs regarding the damp and mould, as this compromised the health and wellbeing of my children and myself, as well as me not accepting the uncertain communication I was being given by the parties regarding support property. Their court action and claim of antisocial behaviour included that I denied access to them – when I was in fact, not even present, and my College was able to provide evidence that I was in attendance at a session.
Advocacy and Support to overturn Employment Termination with Racial and Gender profiling
Identifier Name: *Deje (Bradford) - 2024
I was terminated from my job based on what my employer considered to be fraudulent use of a company card. The company highlighted use of the card at various locations that my family and I had never shopped at, or had been present at the time the cards were used. Despite no evidence showing that we were responsible for the misuse of the card, I was terminated. My union told me to accept the termination but I had not committed any fraud and did not wish to be labelled as another Black man who was a criminal or an offender. I did not want this false label on me and for my family and children to bear this stigma and false labelling, and for this continued stereotype and characterisation of who we are as Black people. I was put in touch with Dahlia who supported me when the Union failed me.
Dahlia wrote my entire appeal to challenge my termination, identified and uncovered the underlying racism, as well as additional gender and parental biases and I was successfully reinstated. Dahlia also assisted me with follow-on Grievances and furthering the legal process with the racism and discrimination I faced.
Racism continues in so many forms and this really knocked me, it knocked my confidence, it led to emotional overload, as my employer is one of these big companies that talks about equalities while carrying out racial prejudice and discrimination, racial profiling and targeting in the background.
Dahlia assisted me with processing my emotions during this turbulent stressful period, and in becoming an advocate against racism and inequalities as she captured my experience and narrative in submissions to public officials including to Parliamentary representatives including the Prime Minister, Opposition Leader and Secretary of State
