Challenging Racism: power, insult and microagressions in the workplace
with Andrea Als, Partner at PwC and ILPA Trustee, Professor Leslie Thomas QC, Garden Court Chambers and Professor of Law at Gresham College, Unkha Banda, Solicitor at Praxis Community Projects and ILPA BAME Working Group Co-convenor and Raggi Kotak, Barrister at One Pump Court Chambers
When analysing the results of our ‘ILPA explores racism in the immigration sector‘ survey, time and time again the issue of microaggressions and the subtleties of racism and were raised by you. With 66% of respondents saying that they did not have the necessary knowledge and skills available to them to adequately address racism when they experienced it first hand we wanted to facilitate a space to discuss these issues. This session will explore the definition of microagressions, the subtleties of racism, and will be a space in which to share experiences and highlight some anecdotal evidence from our survey results.
These result’s highlight the uncomfortable truth of the prevalence of racism within the immigration sector, and ultimately aims:
1. to listen, highlight and validate people’s lived experience of microagressions in the workplace. To recognise microagressions for what they are;
2. to share techniques and strategies for action against microagressions;
3. to better equip white allies to recognise microagressions and have those difficult conversations when you observe racism in the workplace, no matter how subtle.