- Have you ever experienced racism in Tasmania?
- Have you seen someone else face racism?
- Can you imagine what it is like to have your business attacked simply because you come from a different cultural background?
Jarnail Singh has run a popular Indian restaurant in Bellerive for many years, but late last year he started receiving violently threatening letters demanding ‘this is our home not yours! Go home!’, his car was repeatedly vandalised, and his home graffitied with racist slurs – for no other reason than he was not born here (full ABC story here).
Distressingly this is not an isolated example, a large majority of business owners from a different cultural background have experienced some form of racism here in Tasmania. Quite apart from the intense personal distress, sense of isolation and fear this creates for the people being targeted, the impact on the business community is also significant.
The presence of business owners from diverse backgrounds within Tasmania is on the rise, and as a community we cannot afford to ignore the economic growth and social capital that cultural and linguistic diversity represents. Doing so risks leaving Tasmania behind both economically and socially.
- Can we stand by and allow racism to continue to impede our growth as a state and community?
- Would you like to be involved in a uniquely Tasmanian Anti-Racism Initiative that focuses specifically on addressing this issue?
Sherlock & Dutta Consulting are looking for partners to sponsor an Anti-Racism Initiative aimed at addressing this issue within Tasmania.
The initiative is based on an educative advertising program that has been developed from the perspective of fostering greater social cohesion within Tasmania.
The focus of which is to draw the attention of the public to ripple impacts of racism on an individual’s health, productivity in their workplace, feelings of belonging, social cohesion, the economy and within broader society.
In doing so it is intended firstly to highlight the social and economic impacts and then to bring the community closer together in addressing these impacts at a personal level. To create a uniquely Tasmanian flavour the initiative draws on the experience of local individuals, business owners, artists, and leaders.
In conjunction with educating the Tasmanian population the initiative also provides resources specifically intended to assist those experiencing racism.
If you would you like to be part of this initiative and have your business contribute to a more inclusive and vibrantly diverse Tasmanian community, please contact the CEO and Director, Dr Zelinda Sherlock on:
- 0480 556 215 or
- sherlockdutta@sherlockdutta.com.au
