Bridging the personal and professional in anti-racism and decolonisation. Lena Bheeroo interviewed.

Lena Bheeroo (Bond) introduces us to Bond’s Anti-racism and Decolonising Framework and the wider work she’s done in tackling racism across organisations in the development sector. Lena highlights the importance of bringing in people working at all organisational levels as part of a collective effort.Lena outlines how Bond’s framework maps out the process of addressing racism from a personal and professional perspective, and aims to demonstrate the interdependence of organisational structure, and therefore the need for a holistic approach.She opens up about the personal and professional costs that come with speaking up about situations of racial discrimination or injustice within organisations, and highlights how processes of decolonisation and anti-racism must involve everyone.Lena Bheeroo is an organiser, campaigner and speaker on anti-racism, addressing discrimination and creating inclusive cultures. Lena leads the anti-racism work at Bond for the UK sector and the wider decolonising sector work, working with members and global partners, initiatives and movements exploring power, privilege, and oppression. She is a co-author of the Bond Racism, power and truth: Experience of people of colour in international development report. Lena works with Board, CEOs and Senior Management to understand issues around racism, power and privilege in the international development sector. Lena is an organiser with the campaign movement CharitySoWhite which seeks to route out racism from the UK charity sector and have the charity sector lead on addressing racism. Lena is also on the working group of The Racial Equity Index, a collective of Black, Indigenous, people of colour working in international development, advocating for greater racial equity and racial justice in the sector through the creation of a racial equity accountability mechanism.If you’re interested to find out more about Lena’s work, take a look here:TwitterLinkedInRelevant resources:Anti-racism and Decolonising Framework, BondMacpherson ReportRacism power and truth report: Experience of people of colour in international developmentA guide to becoming locally-led as an anti-racist practiceBond’s language guide