Recent events around the world have made me reflect on discrimination that many of our communities face and the work we must all continue to do to ensure Ealing continues to thrive as a welcoming and diverse borough.
We can be rightly proud of the 7 incredible towns that make this part of west London what it is. By any measure, we know that Ealing is one of the most international and diverse places not just in London, but perhaps in the world too. Our sense of community is built on the stories, cultures and contributions every person makes to our society.
November is Islamophobia Awareness Month. It is a time in which we focus our minds on what we are able to do to tackle fear and hatred directed towards our Muslim neighbours, friends and family. And a time to reject the voices of those who want to marginalise, diminish and ignore the substantial and heroic contributions those of the Muslim faith make to our communities in so many ways. I know many residents will look at global events with concern and worry about how they might impact us here in Ealing.
Populists at home and abroad try to talk about our problems in stark terms and give easy, but almost certainly false, answers. They almost always involve blame, they almost always involve scapegoats, but they never work. In our collective history, Ealing has got through pandemics, riots, fires, floods and much worse. We understand that the world has some complex challenges, and that all of us have to work hard to solve them together. We focus on the practical steps we take to build a strong community we can all be proud to be part of.
‘Investing time and care’
Everyone wants to be part of, and relies on, a strong community. One of the features that makes Ealing a strong and successful place is our ability to give people a community. We are a borough of multiple faiths, diverse racial and ethnic identities but we share our community.
In the past when we have conducted the residents’ survey people in all parts of the borough say they feel proud of where they live, they feel part of a strong community. That does not happen by accident. It happens because of the time and care everyone in our borough invests in building a community to be proud of.
It happens each and every day, through millions of acts of love and kindness, whether through volunteering time for local charities or running social groups and sports teams, or simply looking in on a neighbour who needs some companionship or compassion. This is the best antidote to racism. The best antidote to discrimination. The best antidote to those who wish to divide rather than bring together.
This is what makes Ealing special. What we each make of Ealing. Nothing, and no one can or will diminish our sense of community, identity and pride in each other, if we continue to build our shared home together.
