AntiRa Network

15 September 2022

Common Position Paper LADG

With the call “Ensure protection against discrimination – close the gap in protection” in March 2021, a broad social alliance of initiatives, trade unions, organizations for those affected, professional and welfare associations and religious communities criticized the existing gaps in protection against discrimination in the area of ​​public law and introduced a state anti-discrimination law (german: Landesantidiskriminierungsgesetz; short: LADG) for Baden-Württemberg. A LADG would also guarantee the same protection against discrimination in public bodies – from the educational sector to authorities to the state police – that already exists in labour and civil law. With our position paper, we are now calling on the state government to implement the coalition agreement in its full extent.

Since 2021 we, the Anti-Racism Network together with members of our head association Migration Hub Heidelberg have been actively participating and shaping the position paper now published by the social alliance “Bündnis für ein LADG”.

On our collective pursue to liberation from systems of oppression, we believe that we also have to work on all levels of social reality to change the current conditions of everyday life. For us, this includes to accept the scope and work with the reality of the existing political body, as well as the power of an alliance of initiatives, organizations, and associations to shape its legislation.

In order to guarantee comprehensive protection against discrimination, further measures are required. We demand proactive protection against discrimination. We demand an anti-discriminatory national legislation with secure and independent structures that provide effective support in enforcing the right to exist. All people must be guaranteed protection against the state body in matters of discrimination within the framework of the LADG.

On September 15 we have published our position paper to the public to co-sign, discuss and bring into the general discourse.

Now it is time to act!

You, too, can sign our position paper at: LADG.JETZT!

Bündnis für ein LADG Logo

22 July 2022

Sixth Anti-Racism Network Meeting

After a many lockdowns due to the ongoing disaster of Covid-19, many Zoom calls and intensive work within the framework of the state anti-discrimination law (LADG), we have decided for our sixth network meeting to reconnect and meet up in person, outside.

We took part in the Decolonial City Tour offered by the Zehra from our Decolonize Heidelberg Podcast and in Cooperation with Globale Klassenzimmer. Aftewards we gathered for a Picknick at the Neckarwiese to show appreciation towards each other, resist while resting with one another present and to formulate demands for the upcoming time.

Our demands for an anti-racist city range from more community spaces for events of care and fun, to more appreciation of the work from all independent activists and organizations in the network, through greater financial support for the upcoming challenges. Further demands are the involvement of BIPOC groups in the city’s decision-making processes. Because of the given dominant conditions, we believe that every political policymaking bears the danger that it will further and permanently disadvantage those groups that already live in unequal and discriminating conditions. Furthermore, we want to express our desire to transform the cityscape through street names of QT*BIPOC People and Women, visible festivals and regular participation in meetings for exchange, getting to know each other and growth.

Our meeting showed once again how important networking is and how fruitful the meetings are. In this space where we can all combine our mutual experiences, extend and learn from our wisdom and form a collective voice to fight against racism and for a city to become anti-racist. At the same time, it became clear once again how essential our work is and that the path to liberation does not find its goal tomorrow, nor the day after we just. We acknowledge that we just continue the constant struggle and try to find moments of joy within our shared time.

We would like to thank all the people who took part for the shared time, show appreciation for the experiences made and togetherness felt.

We are looking forward to our next meetings and gatherings.

Antira Members at the Decolonize Tour
5 People, 4 Sitting looking to the left. Antira network members

12 March 2021

Fifth Anti-Racism Network Meeting

Just one week after the workshop establishing a common understanding of the network, our fifth Anti-Racism Network meeting took place on March 12, 2021. In this meeting we investigated how to effectively and sustainably communicate the goals and demands of our network to the outside world. To this end, we first received valuable input on strategic political communication from Johannah Illgner, an expert in strategy development and founder of the creative agency Plan W. We discussed our goals for external communication, whereby the desire to make the network and the work of the network partners visible to the public became particularly clear. Also in this meeting a central point was that we want to reach BPoC (Black and People of Color, a self-designation of Black people and non-white read people, who are all affected by racism) from all social groups.

In small groups, we discussed which actors in the Heidelberg region could support us and strategies to reach as many people in the region as possible. The result of the workshop was very successful: We defined our concrete goals for the anti-racism network, compiled next steps for how we can achieve them, and identified potential cooperation partners.

In terms of content and organization, we came away from this workshop stronger. Network partners were able to get to know each other better and continue to grow together. Our goals are now concrete and we are motivated to implement the next steps towards an anti-racist Heidelberg. We are looking forward to the upcoming meetings! Stay tuned for updates.

05 March 2021

Fourth Anti-Racism Network Meeting

On March 5, 2021, the fourth meeting of the Anti-Racism Network took place. Almost 30 actors from different initiatives and organizations came together online to establish a common understanding of anti-racist work and discuss the concrete goals for our network. Through the helpful guidance of Gilda Sahebi, a freelance journalist, doctor and political scientist who deals with the topics of racism and anti-Semitism, among others, we came a lot closer to this goal during this workshop.

First, the participating groups were asked what their own anti-racist work looks like and which social problems they are striving to solve in their work. In a next step, we discussed what anti-racist work in Heidelberg should look like in concrete terms, compiling our demands and goals. The participants also presented their respective actions, offers and services, so that we all got a deeper insight into their ongoing work. From there, we were able to compile the goals that are particularly important to us as a network. 

 

Our central aim is to put post-migrant perspectives and demands of BPoC (Black and People of Color, a self-designation of Black people and non-white read people, who are all affected by racism) at the core of the work. Practically, the network is meant to support each other in our respective projects, but also to plan and implement joint actions and events. The Anti-Racism Network is about more than that though, too. We want to formulate shared demands and actively reach out to institutions and engage the general public in order to bring about sustainable change to make Heidelberg an anti-racist city.

The next meeting will take place one week later. We stay tuned!

03 July 2020

Second Anti-Racism Network Meeting

On July 3, 2020, the Second Anti-racism Network meeting took place. After the first online meeting, we were happy to be able to meet again in person at Karlstorbahnhof in Heidelberg. We were able to accommodate over 30 people from different organizations and initiatives and discussed four different topics. We asked the participants: What would you need from an Anti-racist Network, and what should be avoided? The group discussed what an anti-racist city should look like and how institutions need to change within the city.

 

 

We evaluated the current situation of actions and campaigns being planned by the different participating groups or which are already taking place in the region. Also, we talked about where these need support. Finally, we discussed the decolonization of Heidelberg and what resources are necessary for this process. The outcomes of the workshop gave us a lot of insight and motivation to continue with the work and with the network. The next meeting will be happening soon!

05 June 2020

First Anti-racism Network meeting

On June 5th, 2020 the first Anti-racism Network meeting took place. On full power after the Day of Resistance (8th May 2020), we met to focus on the anti-racism work in Heidelberg. Stuck by the idea of a movement which is pushed by people with racism experience but goes along with everyone.

People and initiatives from Heidelberg got together in an online meeting to think together about what does anti-racism work in Heidelberg need and how we can implement the demands of the Day of Resistance in the long term. 

At the beginning, the question asked was: What does it mean to be racist? As a result, several groups were formed and the participants had the opportunity to discuss about the following three questions:

Upfuck, what frustrates you?
Well done: what am I proud of? What has been achieved so far?
Make a wish: What do I wish/ expect from the future?

The results were precious, the participants could report about their own experiences and exchange with each other. A next meeting is already planned! #KeinSchlussstrich