A great white guy questions a conference line-up’s lack of diversity.

Organiser responds: “We’re looking to establish mentoring for some of our recent BAME members to ensure we have more who are & #39;mainstage ready& #39; in the future.”

Wow. Have we learned nothing over the last year?

I’m going to say this slowly.

Black people do not want white saviours.

Black people are talented, capable, whole.

The system is the problem.

That is what you need to fix.

Not Black people.

Black people don’t need unsolicited improvement from white saviours.

Let it sink in.

General rule for white folk before you offer mentoring to Black people.

First and foremost, did they ask for that mentoring?

What has made you assume they need it?

Are you best suited for it?

What could you learn from them (if you humbled your ego)?

Also if someone calls your conference line-up out for not being diverse then it is entirely possible to just apologise and aim to do better. Without making excuses about ‘BAME people’ you’re trying to mentor to fit your narrow-minded idea of ‘mainstage ready’.

It’s exhausting.

Shit like this makes me want to open a jollof rice shack somewhere remote, sunny and far, far away from computers.

Now, where are my crystals...

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