The Culturally Diverse Hub stands in solidarity with marginalised communities across Leeds, particularly our Muslim and newly arrived friends and neighbours who are experiencing violence and racism as an outcome of the far-right unrest. Hate crime and hate incidents can be one way that this racism is expressed, and the Hub shared this video as a resource for recognising and reporting this.

Culturally Diverse Hub has completed their ‘Safe Spaces’ project, holding a space for people who have experienced racial or faith-motivated hate crime to share their lived experience, giving them the tools to recognise, report and manage the emotional and psychological impacts of hate crime. The Hub worked closely with partner organisations such as Migrant Access Project to support people who had these experiences. Sessions allowed individuals to access peer support in finding wellbeing practices that could be added to their coping strategies.

“It made me feel very afraid, but also, it made me realise that yes, I am born here but I’m not British, my skin is different, there I’m different. I am perceived as different and I felt different.” Quote from a participant reflecting on the impact of a hate incident.

As part of the project, participants also worked together to produce a video highlighting how to recognise hate crime or a hate incident, how to report it and access support, and the impact of reporting these.

Voluntary Action Leeds