Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming a powerful force in everyday life. But one of the most important, and least understood, areas where AI is growing fast is policing. At BLAM UK, our AI Accountability Project is focused on ensuring that Black communities understand how these technologies work, how they are used, and what rights andContinue reading “Understanding AI Surveillance: Risks for Black Communities”
Tag Archives: Black Britain
Gaps in the Curriculum, Gaps in the Plan: A Black Radical Breakdown.
The UK government’s recent Curriculum and Assessment Review claims it will build a “world-class curriculum for all,” yet from a Black radical perspective it’s clear there are gaping holes in this plan. The Review document pays lip service to “diversity” and “equality of opportunity,” but nowhere does it confront the reality of racism in education.Continue reading “Gaps in the Curriculum, Gaps in the Plan: A Black Radical Breakdown.”
Empire, Racism and the NHS: Why Sickle Cell Awareness Month Matters?
Sickle cell disorder distorts red blood cells into a “sickle” shape, making them clump in vessels and cause painful crises. This inherited condition was first recognised in the UK in the 1950s, just as waves of post-colonial migrants arrived and the NHS expanded. In that era, many white Britons refused to acknowledge it as aContinue reading “Empire, Racism and the NHS: Why Sickle Cell Awareness Month Matters?”
Language, Power, and the Global Majority.
In Britain and around the world, people are rethinking the words we use to describe identity. Terms like “ethnic minority” or BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) have long been used to label Black and brown communities. But today these terms are being challenged and a new phrase, “Global Majority,” is gaining ground. Coined byContinue reading “Language, Power, and the Global Majority.”
Pearl Alcock: Building Black Queer Joy in Brixton’s Underground.
Pearl Alcock (1934–2006) was a Jamaican-born Black British artist, businesswoman, and community builder. For much of the 1970s and ’80s she ran a secret club in Brixton that became legendary , Pearl’s Shebeen, the only gay bar in the area. This underground space welcomed Black gay and bisexual patrons from across London, giving them aContinue reading “Pearl Alcock: Building Black Queer Joy in Brixton’s Underground.”
From Pirate Radio to Festival Headliners: How Black British Music Rose in the UK.
Black music is riding high in summer 2025. From Recessland to Notting Hill Carnival and Wireless, genres of the Black diaspora: Afrobeats, Amapiano, grime, reggae, Dancehall and R&B dominate festival line-ups. It feels like a victory lap for Black music. But not long ago, things were very different. Black music in Britain was often criminalised,Continue reading “From Pirate Radio to Festival Headliners: How Black British Music Rose in the UK.”
Racism is a Mental Health Issue: Mental Health Awareness Week 2025.
Every year the Mental Health Foundation’s Mental Health Awareness Week (12–18 May 2025) spotlights a theme. This year, the focus is “community”, celebrating the power of connection and support. Communities give us belonging, purpose and safety – everything our mental well-being needs But as we come together this week, we must also confront forces thatContinue reading “Racism is a Mental Health Issue: Mental Health Awareness Week 2025.”
What Does Kemi Badenoch Really Mean for Black Britain?
In an unprecedented moment, Kemi Badenoch stands as the first Black leader of a major UK political party—a milestone, yes, but not the triumph some might celebrate it as. Instead, it serves as a wake-up call for Black communities and allies in Britain. Is this a victory for true representation, or just a convenient facadeContinue reading “What Does Kemi Badenoch Really Mean for Black Britain?”
Discover Hidden Histories: Black Pioneers You’ve Never Heard Of
As we celebrate Black History Month, it’s important to remember that history is often written by those in power, leaving many key figures out of the narrative. While we rightly honour icons like Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks, there are countless Black individuals whose contributions have shaped society but remain largely forgotten. TheseContinue reading “Discover Hidden Histories: Black Pioneers You’ve Never Heard Of”
The Importance of Racial Wellness in Schools
By Michelle Racial trauma can be described as the mental and emotional impacts that a person experiences as a result of exposure to racism. This exposure may be direct, for example by being on the receiving end of racist insults or frequent microaggressions, or more ‘indirect’ such as hearing distressing news about a racist incidentContinue reading “The Importance of Racial Wellness in Schools”
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