Black British Voices: Project aims to shed light on what life is really like being Black in Britain
A project aiming to create a comprehensive insight into the experience of being black in Britain has launched, with thousands of people already taking part in a national survey.
In the first study of its kind, people who identify as black or black mixed race are being invited to take part in the Black British Voices Project online survey with questions on topics such as; healthcare, media, youth, policing, identity, business, sport, disability, LBGT, religion, politics and the workplace.
Alongside the survey, in-depth interviews of leading black British commentators, including politicians, celebrities, writers, journalists and businesspeople have been carried out by Dr Kenny Monrose, a University of Cambridge sociologist who is the Principal Investigator on the project.
The main objective of the Black British Voices Project is to establish a rigorous baseline dataset on black British experiences and attitudes in several key areas. Its creators hope it will build understanding and drive positive change in Britain.
Founding Director of non-profit organisation UNJUST, Katrina Ffrench, is on the steering committee for the project. She says the events of last year, including the global outrage over the murder of George Floyd in America, has meant there is more interest in the lived experiences of black people.
She said: "I think last year the world has awoken to what black people for generations for centuries have been saying about their experiences...Whilst we could have said it could have been done a while ago, I don't think that the interest was there, I don't think the zeal, the enthusiasm and I don't mean that from the black community, but I mean, our white allies from corporations, from institutions, to really champion and be alongside us on this journey so I kind of feel the timing is perfect. The time is right."
The final report including the data, online survey, and interviews will be published at the end of the year.
The Black British Voices Project survey is still available to do online at www.bbvp.org.
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