Making Cumbria the UK’s first actively anti-racist county

Tackling and ending racism through action and education to create a forward-thinking and actively anti-racist Cumbria; free from prejudice and systemic inequalities.

In Cumbria, in the year to March 2022 Home Office statistics evidenced a 28 per cent increase in recorded hate crimes. Sadly a person’s ‘race’ or ethnicity remains by far the most common motivator for a hate crime to be committed, more than half of Cumbria’s hate crimes are racially motivated. We believe we are at a turning point and that our beloved Cumbria has an historic opportunity to become the UK’s first actively anti-racist county. Together we can ensure that Cumbria works for every person equitably and equally. We can be part of the change for better. Read our Impact Reports from the past 2 years.

What do we do?

”Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.
James Baldwin

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ARC’s Education Hub

Anti-Racist Education Starts Here Every child deserves an education that helps them understand the world, see themselves within it and know they belong. Anti-racist education isn’t an extra. It isn’t…

Marked As The Enemy

TW: This article goes into depth about Islamophobic abuse, references Islamophobic slurs, and includes physical violence and threats of sexual assault. *Lived Experience has shaped this beautifully written piece which…

Why we will be unapologetically closing or moderating our comment sections

The week before Professor Jason Arday died, we put out a post explaining why the campaign against him was rooted in racism. On facebook it was one of our most…

Planting Seeds of Hope this August

Planting Seeds of Hope is here to inspire radical hope within each of us that will sprout anti-racist action and inevitably spread across the land like wildflowers. Usually this is…

Actively anti-racist

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This incredible organisation has achieved more in its first year than some do over a decade. Not only are they working on a huge scale with industries and organisations across their county that will mark changes in infrastructure and policies around racism, but they also touch the lives of the people in their communities on a daily basis.

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No organisation has done as much to raise the bar for black and brown people in Cumbria. In my 40 years living in the County ARC have, in the last couple of years, challenged us all who live here to do more and do better.

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Anti-Racist Cumbria is doing a great job opening up discussion around issues of racism in a fairly hard to reach community. There was a huge gap and they are more than filling it with intelligent and well-argued views and new ways for people to think about how racism permeates our lives.

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I truly believe Anti Racist Cumbria is making a difference in our county. To come so far in such a short time only proves how needed and how effective this organisation is. ARC deserves recognition for all of the hard work and effort they put into affecting change in our schools and institutions, making Cumbria a great place to live for us all.

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It is hard to explain what a direct impact they are having across so many areas of life – in education, sport, business, culture to name a few. Their way of working is positive and warm – there is a strong message, but they reach out, educate and explain. They stand out in this region not only for their values, but for the speed at which they’ve achieved so much and made a difference to so many.

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Anti racist cumbria has changed my life. I apply a whole new perspective to my relationships, professional and personal. The charity has opened my eyes to other ways of being – allowing me to recognise the lens I use to see the world. I am better able to recognise inequality and feel empowered to change the world for the better through conversations and positive action.