ONLINE discussions on race and black history will take place this weekend, led by key Bradford figures and academics, as part of Black History Month. 

'Decolonising the Curriculum' will be held over Zoom at 6pm today - chaired by Uduak Archibong, professor of diversity at the University of Bradford - where racism, the curriculum and Britain's colonial past will be discussed.

Tony Tokunbo Eteka Fernandez - a Bradford-based writer, international community blogger and a peace ambassador for the Universal Peace Federation - is also hosting a Zoom event tomorrow, celebrating black history.

Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy will be among the speakers at the Decolonising the Curriculum event, which will serve as a call to action to explore how communities can work together to tackle racial inequality.

Professor Uduak Archibong said the event will explore issues around the national curriculum, adding that further education on colonialism and racism could help to "improve" race relations in the UK.

“This event will set into sharp focus the importance of learning about black history and Britain’s colonial past", she said.

“If this became a seminal part of the national curriculum and other community and educational settings across the country, then it would mean we are not only able to create more understanding in society, but we would be able to tackle racism and division more effectively.

“We have an inspiring line-up of speakers who will give a menu of actions that could be taken to effect positive change.”

The event will be held over Zoom at 6pm today - registrations can be made here, or by emailing richard_dunbar@labour.org.uk.

London-born Tony Tokunbo Eteka Fernandez, who is of Nigerian descent, made Bradford his home three years ago and now lives in Wyke.

Tony, who has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and World Literature, has been a keynote speaker, a poet, an author, a foreign languages teacher and a passionate campaigner for community cohesion over the years.

He has also organised Black History Month celebrations at the Houses of Parliament for seven years in a row, and created the Africa4U Achievers Award to recognise the contributions of Bradford's African and Caribbean communities.

"We are not going to parliament for our annual Black History Month celebrations this year, due to COVID, so we are hosting this year's event over Zoom instead", said Tony.

"Black history is important because we need to have a space where we can promote our success stories and our journeys. We also need to create awareness of the importance of community cohesion and understanding.

"Our country has a history of colonialism and it's important to understand that history - that will help to bring about a better understanding between different communities.

"Anything you want to do in life is in your hands, we can't wait for other people to make a difference, we should be prepared to control our own narrative - not just for black history, but for whichever cause we stand for." 

The Zoom meeting will take place at 6pm tomorrow, and the ID for the event is 83190312726. Tony can be contacted on 07882809005.

In parliament last week, a Bradford MP also spoke on the contributions of black Bradfordians over the years.

Naz Shah, Labour MP for Bradford West, made reference to the likes of Saint Kitts and Nevis-born Ces Podd - Bradford City's record appearance holder, who played for the Bantams between 1970 and 1984 - and Joe Cooke, the Dominica-born footballer who made over 200 appearance for the club in the seventies.

She also highlighted the achievements of John Edward Parris, who was born in Wales and was of partial Bajan descent, who played for Bradford (Park Avenue) and was the first black player to represent Wales in an international football match.

Shah also said she was pleased to hear of how Therese Patten's appointment as the CEO of the Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust in July made her the trust’s first black female CEO.

In part of her speech, Shah said: "I want to focus my speech on celebrating the contributions of black people across my constituency, because for black lives to really matter, their contributions must be remembered, dignified and celebrated.

"Since 1 October 2014, in my constituency, a flag has been raised to mark Black History Month. I spoke to one of the organisers, a dear friend of mine, Carol Peltier, who runs the Black Health Forum.

"She has worked in the community for over 25 years, and she and others have been working on recording contributions. I would like to put on record my thanks for the work she is doing.

"I want to say thank you to some who are no longer with us and make sure that this House recognises the people of my constituency.

"I am talking about the contributions of people such as the following: the late Nathaniel Johnson, otherwise known as Maas Arthur, founder of Bradford’s first organisation of African-Caribbean senior citizens in the early 1980s, which is still going today; Aubury Deen, who set up the first black workers support group in Bradford Council; Bobsie Robinson, who ran culture and arts in Bradford; Joseph Flerin and Max Prosper, who helped set up a Bradford West Indian parents association for Saturday schools and the first ever nursery for black children, and also played a part in setting up the Dominica Association in my constituency, along with Maurice ​Celaire; Corine Campbell, a legendary name in my constituency in Bradford, who ran the community development unit and was a huge community activist and instrumental in setting up MAPA. While MAPA was not in my constituency, many of my constituents certainly accessed it.

Shah also recognised and paid tribute to groups such as Windrush Generations, the Dominica Association, the Black Health Forum, the Mary Seacole Centre and Frontline, amongst a host of other organisations and individuals.

Elsewhere, Javed Bashir, the Founder of Bradford's Volunteering Interfaith Programme (VIP) and Safeguarding Consultant with Strengthening Faith Institutions (SFI), also gave his thoughts on Black History Month.

Pakistan-born Bashir aims to improve community cohesion in Bradford as part of his role with SFI.

He said: "Bradford, like many other cities around the world, has marked Black History Month by recognising the contributions that black people have made here over many generations.

"This year, greater attention has been paid to the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement, especially since the death of George Floyd and the subsequent protests.

"The horrific death of George Floyd still haunts me. His story, however chilling, is not new and will not be the last one, unless organisations change their practices of institutional racism that exists within. As Martin Luther King Jr wrote from jail in Alabama in 1963: 'injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.'"

"During the pandemic, so many BAME lives have been lost and while the reasons for this are complex, the main one is the ‘everyday’ racism deeply embedded across society.

"Black and ethnic minority workers have faced the highest levels of risk because they are over-represented in frontline, low-paid jobs. Jobs that have been traditionally undervalued or even invisible.

"It’s time to speak up and challenge institutions, individuals and cultures in which people feel that they have the right to racially oppress others on being different or for being a different colour. We need a comprehensive race equality strategy and a full public inquiry into disproportionate deaths from COVID-19.

"Black History Month should not be celebrated merely as a symbolic event, but we need to learn lessons that we should not be going back to the old normal, where BAME workers and their contribution to society are invisible. Where BAME people routinely faced greater obstacles and worse outcomes. We need to work for a new normal of fairer workplaces and a fairer society. But it won’t happen unless we make it happen.

"Over the years systematic and institutional racism has become more malignant, the denial more sophisticated.

"We should not be complacent about promoting good community relations, providing opportunities and taking appropriate deterrent actions where necessary.

"We cannot change the past, but we can change the present and the future, and we must do – Black History Month provides this platform."