Could Cumbria be the first anti-racist county in the UK? Activists are on a mission to make this happen.
Anti Racist Cumbria was established five years ago after the murder of George Floyd sent shockwaves across the world and sparked action and a Black Lives Matter movement – including in rural Cumbria in north west England, a county where around 95% of the population is white.
It started as a small social media group for like-minded individuals. It was deep in the throes of the pandemic , so naturally they hosted Zoom events to initiate conversations, led by founder Janett Walker. From there, the organisation grew and it became a fully registered charity in 2021.
“The goal came from challenging the stereotype that racism isn’t a problem in majority white areas or rural areas a