Race Equality Week 2025: Every Action Counts

Shehnal Amin, Sophia Coles, Rachel Nolloth, Annisa Khan, Siobhan Murray and Eloisa Clegg, current trainee in the team, look at microaggressions, curriculum reform, and antiracism, as well as intersectionality and recommended resources, to explore the key challenges and actions needed to advance race equity during Race Equality Week 2025.

Race Equality Week 2025 is a pivotal moment for us to reflect on and address the systemic inequalities that persist in our society. This year's theme, "Every Action Counts," emphasises the importance of individual and collective efforts in creating a more equitable society.

Monday

For the first day of Race Equality Week, we’re focusing on microaggressions. Microaggressions are slights, comments (that sometimes appear innocuous) and indignities that people from marginalised groups can face on a day-to-day basis. They are sometimes described as “subtle acts of exclusion”. They do not have to be negative on their face, but they indicate an implicit bias. They do not need to be intentional, but they are based on harmful attitudes and prejudices that perpetuate stereotypes.

The term “microaggression” should not downplay the impact of such language or behaviour, which can be deeply harmful. They may seem minor in isolation, but their cumulative effect can create barriers to trust and inclusivity. Microaggressions are tied to social power dynamics between different groups. They can arise without any harm intended but can still amount to discrimination. Today, people are increasingly being held accountable for microaggressions, amidst a growing conversation around equality and race.

Taking a moment to identify and challenge these behaviours will help to foster safer and more respectful spaces. Take a look at our Microaggressions Toolkit for practical guidance and strategies to recognise, address, and prevent microaggressions in your practice.

Tuesday

Rethinking the curriculum: Professor Jason Arday and the Runnymede Trust

Last October, as part of Black History Month, we had the privilege of hearing Professor Jason Arday from the University of Cambridge in conversation with our colleague Ben Amoah. Their discussion was wide-ranging, personal, and thought-provoking, covering topics such as being Black and working in “the establishment”, whether “Blackness” could or should be defined, the nature of Black role models and lack of celebration of Black excellence in the UK curriculum.

Professor Arday spoke passionately about the need to address this gap, highlighting how the current curriculum overlooks the contributions and achievements of Black individuals, and the impact this has on our nation’s understanding of itself as well as the self-esteem and aspirations of Black young people.

Rethinking our curriculum has been a live topic and something that Professor Arday has written and spoken about over the course of his academic career. It is also now on the Government’s agenda. Last Summer, the Government launched an expansive curriculum and assessment review with a plan to publish its recommendations this year. One of the stated aims of the review is “to ensure a curriculum that reflects the issues and diversities of our society, ensuring all children and young people are represented.”

The Runnymede Trust, the UK’s leading race equality think tank, published their response to the review setting out what they see as the necessary steps to ensure an equitable and inclusive curriculum. To learn more, see our piece on the review and The Runnymede Trust’s recommendations here.

We await the review’s findings with interest. In the meantime, whether you work with young people in a formal educational setting or not, thinking about whether your work is accessible, appropriate and relevant to all the children you work with is a small step towards helping build a more inclusive and equitable culture (#everyactioncounts).

Wednesday

What it means to be truly Antiracist

There is a difference between being antiracist and not being racist. The American author and historian Ibram X. Kendi, known for his influential works “How to Raise an Antiracist”, and “How to Be an Antiracist”, provides a clear definition: someone who is antiracist is "one who is supporting an antiracist policy through their actions or expressing an antiracist idea."

This definition emphasises the importance of action and inaction. There is a significant distinction between living in a manner where you do not personally engage in racist behaviours and one where you actively oppose anything that sustains or supports racism. Being antiracist does not necessarily mean engaging as an activist, although it can. Rather, it means ensuring that your life choices do not passively, or by implication, support racist policies or practices.

To be antiracist, one must continually work towards equality for all races and acknowledge that true equality might necessitate differing treatment. Being antiracist means constantly challenging this notion as you move through daily life. It involves living in a way that actively identifies, opposes and challenges racial inequity.

The Wellcome Trust is one organisation that has developed antiracist policies and a toolkit for staff, framed by principles intended to be a continuous guide for action. The principles are:

1. Prioritise anti-racism
2. Investigate racial inequity
3. Involve people of colour
4. Counteract racism
5. Make measurable progress

It can be hard for employers and organisations to know where to start, but respectful curiosity and accountability can be the catalyst for systemic, positive progress. Principles like those introduced by the Wellcome Trust encourage and foster a change in embedded culture.

Every action counts towards who you are in any given moment. We all have the power to contribute to a more just and equitable society (#everyactioncounts).

Thursday

For the fourth day of Race Equality Week, we are considering intersectionality. Intersectionality refers to the interconnected nature of social categorisations such as race, class and gender as they apply to a given individual or group. This concept highlights how these overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage create unique patterns of oppression.

Through the lens of race, intersectionality examines how racial identity intersects with other identities to shape an individual's experiences of discrimination and privilege. For example, a Black woman may face both racial and gender discrimination which together create a distinct experience of oppression that is different from that of a Black man or a white woman.

Understanding intersectionality is crucial to addressing the complexity of systemic inequality (disparities in wealth, resources, opportunities and privileges that result from discriminatory practices and are ingrained within the structures and institutions of society). It allows us to recognise that different forms of discrimination are interconnected and cannot be fully understood or addressed in isolation, and it is important to know that we cannot fully understand the lived experience of others. By considering the multiple dimensions of identity and how they intersect, we can develop more comprehensive and effective strategies for promoting equality and justice. For further reading, you can revisit Our Q&A with Jahnine Davis, one of the UK's leading specialists in the safeguarding of Black children, which explores intersectionality in the context of adultification bias.

Friday

Recommendations

As we conclude Race Equality Week 2025, we want to leave you with some suggestions of materials that can help you reflect on and learn more about race equality.

Dominoes - This thought-provoking book written by Phoebe McIntosh explores themes of identity, race, and belonging, offering readers a compelling narrative that encourages reflection and discussion. 

We’re Here Because You Were There - This insightful book by Ian Sanjay Patel delves into post-war immigration laws and the after effects of British imperial citizenship.

Nickel Boys - Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Colson Whitehead, this film tells the powerful story of two boys unjustly sentenced to a reform school in the Jim Crow-era South, highlighting the enduring impact of systemic racism. 

The Six Triple Eight - Directed by Tyler Perry, this film outlines the creation of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, an all-black, all-female battalion in the Second World War.

We hope these suggestions inspire you to continue the discussion about race equality beyond this week. By taking the time to engage with different literature, perspectives and conversations, we can all contribute to a more inclusive and equitable society.

Thank you for participating in Race Equality Week 2025. Remember, every action counts.

This publication is a general summary of the law. It should not replace legal advice tailored to your specific circumstances.

© Farrer & Co LLP, February 2025