As a Person of Colour and a Minority in Britain, is it safe to Speak Up?

Abstract

A recent tweet by Nadine White[1], who writes for the Independent, set me thinking. She wrote that people of colour (POC) had to be always careful about how they were perceived. This comment was related to the sacking of Kwasi Kwarteng as Chancellor of the Exchequer.[2] Even if POC were successful, they had to temper their talk and actions because a different set of standards would judge them. I reflected back on similar thoughts that have crossed my mind over the last many years. As an immigrant to the UK over 30 years ago, it did not strike me initially that I was of a different colour because I wasn’t much aware of discrimination. Till then, if at any time I didn’t do as well in my career aspirations, examinations or job interviews as someone else, it was obviously because they were simply ‘just better than me. Thoughts of favouritism and discrimination did not cross my mind. The author explores the impact of racism in modern Britain and the challenges of speaking up as a minority professional