Speech Debelle is crowdfunding
Weʼre raising £5,000 to Raise awareness and case costs. ACE are taking Speech to court for money in retaliation for her racial discrimination case
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UPDATE: The case has been adjourned to 24th June 2024 - we will update you on any new news. In the meantime you can check out this recent article on this case...https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/speech-debelle-arts-council-racism-england-b2511206.html
Thank you to those who have shown your support in whichever way you can - words, messages, donations - it makes a huge difference and is very much appreciated and welcomed.
October 23rd 2023 - Court case. Speech takes the Art's council (ACE) to court for racial discrimination. Legal fees were approximately £30k. The judge ruled there was not enough evidence. The Art's Council had an incredible legal team that were hard to compete with.
March 13th 2024 - The Art's Council are taking Speech to court for costs of over £100K for bringing the case in the first place. This is highly unusual and seen as vindictive and retaliatory behaviour designed to discourage anyone else from making any future claims, and to punish Speech for accusing them of race discrimination. Whatever the outcome, it will costs further thousands to defend.
An independent review commissioned by the Art's Council at the same time as the racial discrimation was experienced at the Art's Council concluded that:
“Almost all staff colleagues of Black, Asian and ethnically diverse backgrounds who contributed to the review shared negative experiences at the Arts Council in relation to their race."
“These often came in the form of patronising tones and attitudes, excluding colleagues from activities, assuming artistic expertise based on race, and confusing colleagues for others of the same (or the presumed same) ethnicity. “
“Almost all Black staff who engaged with the review shared experiences of racial stereotyping, bias, and micro-aggressions.”
As we know race discrimination at work is extremely difficult to prove, especially against such a big organisation with unlimited resources.
We are looking for your support to raise awareness and raise funds. If you would like to help or offer support to this case in a non-monetary way, please feel free to contact Speech directly at contact@speechdebelle.com
The case was such a strain on me financially and emotionally. While I was at ACE they refused to listen to me or the other members of staff saying the organisation is harbouring racism and micro-agressions within the work place and unconscious bias in how they fund Black and POC organisations. They pretended to listen and to pay lip service to issues brought up, like a Black square on social media during BLM. But when someone has had enough and speaks up about racism, they try to crush them. Now they want to make sure they send a message that the might of the organisation will be against you if you dare to stand up to them. I want to show them that we can and will speak up and no matter how hard they try, we won't stop fighting for injustice. I welcome the opportunity to have another day in court, however I do NEED YOUR SUPPORT. Blessings, Speech.
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Updates
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- 2 months ago
Speech Debelle
2 months agoThe case has been adjourned to 24th June 2024 - we will update you on any new news. In the meantime you can check out this recent article on this case...https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/speech-debelle-arts-council-racism-england-b2511206.html Thank you to those who have shown your support in whichever way you can - words, messages, donations - it makes a huge difference and is very much appreciated and welcomed.
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Speech Debelle started crowdfunding
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Supporters
60
Kate P
Apr 17, 2024
The system needs changing, let’s hope you can crush it!
£20.00
Anonymous
Apr 16, 2024
£10.00
Kate scanlan
Apr 16, 2024
A little contribution to support your costs. We are standing with you Speech ✊🏼✊🏼✊🏼❤️
£20.00
Marilyn Napaul
Apr 16, 2024
Black squares & statements were virtue signalling. ‘Diversity’ & ‘inclusivity are nothing without *anti-racism*; all promised in ACE CEO Darren Henley’s ‘Black Lives Matter’ blog post on 5June20.
£14.00
Anonymous
Apr 15, 2024
£20.00
Anonymous
Apr 15, 2024
£10.00
Anonymous
Apr 15, 2024
£20.00
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