It has been devasting to watch the past week of horrific racial violence unfold here in the UK.  It sadly overshadowed the tragedy of Southport. We know that this type of hatred has no place in our society, and we should call it out for what it is: racism, Islamophobia, and bigotry.

The hatred shown on the streets has been vile and shocking. It also threatens to damage Britain’s international reputation. As it says something when countries such as Malaysia, India, and Nigeria caution their citizens about travelling to the UK. I am not going to delve into the reasons why everything combusted because it is complicated…from the role social media played to the right-wing media and politicians, to the language used by the mainstream media, to Musk inciting violence, and how successive governments have squandered people’s trust and failed to tackle the deep-rooted problems that are blighting our communities.
However, the peaceful community gatherings, where thousands of anti-racism protesters came out and stood together in different parts of the country on 7 August in response to the anti-immigration riots, was magnificent. It restored my faith, and I found it uplifting and hopeful. It also made front page news, and these were the headlines that we need to see – that good triumphed over evil; that together we can make the right difference, and that hate, or violence is never the answer,

Something else that I found uplifting, which helped to my make internal flame of hope shine even brighter was Tim Walz’s speech in Philadelphia on the 6 of August. Walz is the Minnesota governor and has been chosen by Kamala Harris to be her running mate in the US Presidential elections. Walz talked about community, values, commitment, working for a common good, and that one person can make a difference. A speech that was very relevant to what was happening here across the pond.

“He’s the kind of person who makes people feel like they belong and then inspires them to dream big,” Harris said.

If you haven’t seen it yet, watch it, as Walz also gives a masterclass in speech delivery.

Photo Credit: Wiki Media