Becoming an anti-racist city

The council has pledged to be an anti-racist council. We will use our resources and change what we do to actively dismantle racist structures and challenge racial inequality.

We will work in partnership with Black and Racially Minoritised people, including council staff, residents and community groups to directly shape our anti-racism strategy through their lived experiences and diverse perspectives.

The council also welcomes the commitments made so far by people and organisations in the city to be anti-racist. We call on all services and employers in the city to do everything they can to work towards Brighton & Hove becoming an anti-racist city and the council is ready to play its part.

Our full pledge to be an anti-racist council

The council is committed to long term actions and change.

We will:

  • reach out to and work with Black and Racially Minoritised communities to create and deliver an anti-racism strategy shaped by their lived experience and diverse perspectives
  • focus on supporting Black and Racially Minoritised businesses through council procurement and encouraging local support
  • work collectively with other public bodies especially the police on challenging each other to improve diversity and eradicate racism in our organisations
  • make sure a Black and Racially Minoritised representative sits on the council’s main decision-making committee (Policy & Resources)
  • create and deliver a civic leadership programme aimed at increasing participation in local decision making within under represented communities
  • improve our collaboration with Black and Racially Minoritised communities
  • resource Black and Racially Minoritised groups to have stronger voices and influence
  • educate councillors and officers on white privilege, on language and structural racism
  • continue collaboration with our BME Workers’ Forum to deliver our Fair & Inclusive Action Plan
  • work with Black and Racially Minoritised communities and groups to agree our approach to different statues, plaques and street names; removing some, retaining some and erecting educational information boards and/or walks
  • celebrate the legacies which fully reflect the city’s values and population

Anti-Racism Strategy 2023 to 2028

Read our Anti-Racism Strategy 2023 to 2028 and Anti-Racism Strategy Priority Actions.

Progress on our pledge

We’ve also taken actions that we know our communities wanted including:

The language we use

There is a lot of discussion about terminology regarding racism and anti-racism.

The council works with and listens to the opinions of our staff, residents and community groups to understand the language to use when talking about ethnicity, culture, faith and national identity. We also look to changes nationally and internationally.

Terminology and language is dynamic and continuously evolving. We are committed to continuing our learning and evolving as language changes over time.

Through the discussions and conversation about culture and language around race, racism and identity through the development of the Anti-Racism Strategy, we aim to use specific ethnicity descriptions and terminology to speak to specific lived experiences.

Where this is not possible, we will use the terms ‘Black and Racially Minoritised’ and ‘people who experience racism’ to refer to people who do not identify as white British. We use ‘Racially Minoritised’ to recognise that people are not minorities by identity, but have been minoritised by racist structures, systems, and societies.

However, we understand that views differ and not all people will feel comfortable with the same language. We recognise the right to self-identification.

Find out more