Anyone who has experienced racism or exclusion is being asked to come forward and share their story with a Richmond-based organization.
Richmond Multicultural Community Services (RMCS), an agency dedicated to providing services for newcomers in Richmond, is organizing a story event to expose racism, advocate for change, and support victims of racial bias.
As part of the first stage, people are invited to contact RMCS to share their personal experiences, explained Alan Hill, program coordinator. The second stage will involve inviting politicians and policymakers to the table to hear those stories.
The hope is that by hearing first-hand actual, lived experiences of racism and exclusion, people in positions of influence can better address the issue, explained Hill.
Some people have already reached out to him to share their struggles, and what’s become clear, said Hill, is that racism can come in many forms.
Hill cited an example of a woman of Asian descent who felt excluded by Chinese-speaking individuals because she was born in Peru and her mother tongue is Spanish.
Following the first two stages, RMCS plans to launch a forum to connect people who have shared similar experiences with the hope of creating a safe space for everyone.
“The forum is about providing them with a chance to get to know each other and support each other. We could link people with support groups as well,” said Hill.
Many people might not know where to get support after experiencing exclusion, he added.
People who have experienced racism are welcome to contact Hill at [email protected].
