18th February at 10:30am – 4:30pm.
Powerhouse, Raby Street, in Moss Side
Marching Against Cuts in Manchester
Speakers at the conference will include National BARAC leaders Lee Jasper, Zita Holbourne and Weyman Bennett and will also hear from local speakers such as Deyika Nzeribe, Steph Pike and Carl Petch.
PRESS RELEASE
As the time draws near to Manchester City Council; MCC, implementing their 2nd round of cuts Black Activists Rising Against the Cuts; BARAC will be hosting their 2nd community ‘Stand For Something’ 1 day conference exploring how the cuts will further disproportionately impact on the Black communities of Manchester.
BARAC is a national campaign group, created in July 2010 to challenge the disproportionate impact that the Con Dem government’s cuts in public spending will have on the Black and Minority Ethnic communities and individuals. BARAC Manchester is a network of black individuals and organisations formed for the purpose of defending jobs and services in Manchester and have actively participated with anti cuts groups and campaigns with the same aims.
The conference will discuss the ruin of social welfare programs, such as the Youth Service, the EMA, advice services, the NHS as well as ongoing issues of police relations, stop-and-search, and unemployment. The conference will not only discuss the consequences of the cuts but will explore what we can do together as a community to support the community.
Colette Williams of BARAC Manchester said ‘we should not ignore the fact that Manchester has been named ‘Child poverty capital of Britain’ with 25,000 children growing up in severe poverty. And as the African Caribbean descent communities along with other minority ethnic groups constitute the most acutely deprived communities we believe that this is a much needed forum to discuss such concerns.The conference is inspired and in commemoration of the African American Human rights activist Malcolm X who was assassinated on 21st February, 1965.
Speakers at the conference will include National BARAC leaders Lee Jasper, Zita Holbourne and Weyman Bennett and will also hear from local speakers such as Deyika Nzeribe, Steph Pike and Carl Petch.
BARAC National state that all of these cuts come at a time when race relations has fallen off the political agenda – there has been a weakening of equality laws, huge cuts to the Equality and Human Rights Commission with little or no focus in their work on eliminating racism, the rise of the far right who are claiming migrant and black workers for the cuts made by the government and discrimination in policing and the criminal justice system.
Colette added that she is optimistic that the community will use this an opportunity to come together to demonstrate that we will no longer stand by and watch the wanton destruction of our communities through these austerity cuts.
The event will be taking place at the Powerhouse, Raby Street, in Moss Side on 18th February at 10:30am – 4:30pm.
For more information and to book contact Colette on 07984 359894
or email baracmanchester@hotmail.co.uk