Peter Symonds College recently held a unique event to pledge its commitment to anti-racism.

It was held on May 16 and college principal Sara Russell praised those involved.

She said: “Our college ethos of celebrating individuality, promoting community and strengthening representation is one that we are proud of, but there is more that we can do. Pledging our commitment to anti-racism and encouraging the college, as a whole, to continue to shape a culture and community to which everyone can belong is a priority for us.”

The anti-racism pledge event brought together students and staff who shared their insights and experiences of what it means to belong and to be represented within a large, diverse college community. 

Zac Hussain, president of the student union, said: “For me, anti-racism is about knowing what racism is, the forms it can take and being able to take action against it. One of the best things about Peter Symonds is that we are treated as individuals and our differences are celebrated.” 

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Stevy Abrahams and Tisha Latkar, also shared their experiences and explained why representation matters. Tisha said: “When I was younger, I felt under pressure to adopt a culture that wasn’t really mine, or who I was. This pledge allows us to open doors to other opportunities to raise awareness and make positive change.”

Stevy said: “At Peter Symonds, there is the freedom and opportunity to really express myself in the way that I want. Being able to explore our culture and share it with others, such as on ethnic clothing day, has been one of the best moments so far.”

The landmark pledge event was also attended by Robin Landman OBE, co-founder and director of the Black Leadership Group.

He said: “This pledge by Peter Symonds College is an important initiative and builds on some of the great work the college has undertaken as a leading member of BLG affiliate community.

“We especially applaud this because Peter Symonds is one of the country’s largest sixth-form colleges with a rating of outstanding, so this is a top institution in education that is truly leading the way on anti-racism. Making this pledge is a collective college decision, and demonstrates strong leadership on an important social issue.”