Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust was set up in the memory of Stephen Lawrence. They do amazing work to create a fairer society in which everyone, regardless of their background, can flourish.

Stephen’s story runs deep. Not only was this a hard hitting case but I’d say it was the first time I realised that being black in the U.K. could render you the victim of racism. When Stephen Lawrence was murdered in an unprovoked racist attack in 1993 I was 4 years old. My mum used to work in a hospital close to where Stephen was killed and used to work a night shift. I remember hearing the news of his death on tv and noticed that my mum would travel there most nights for work. For weeks I feared every time my mum would go to work, just praying she would return in one peace and that a racist man wouldn’t hurt her on her way home after work. To be honest what has happened in these recent weeks has reminded me that even from a young age I was very aware of racism. 

Now fast forward to 2020 it is a saddening reality that racism is still prominent not only within our society but all over the world. Following the recent death of George Floyd and many others who have tragically lost their lives due to racism, we have seen this issue highlighted more. There has been a cry for change and I believe it is time for us all to reflect on how we can bring about this change for equality. At Ribbon and Bow we stand for peace and against discrimination. 

“In a racist society it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist.” – Angela Y. Davis

In line with our Gift of Giving initiative, we will be donating 20% of the profits made from each online sale to the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust. We too believe in the objectives set out by the charity that:

• All young people should receive the education, training and help they need to reach their potential
• All young people should receive the information and support they need to make informed choices about their education and future careers
• Everyone should have the opportunity to progress in their career based on their skills and abilities, not their background
• Senior managers in every company and every industry should reflect the rich diversity of people in the UK.

After the initial police investigation, five suspects were arrested but not convicted. So many black women and men have los their lives because of racism and this highlights the attitudes to racism in society, police practice and the justice system around the world. There is still a long way to go to eradicate discrimination but with us all actively playing our part, change will come! 

To find out more about the amazing work that the charity does please click here.

Sending love, Tem x