It’s hard to articulate what it’s been like being a PoC volunteer for Amnesty at times during the last 2.5 (well, more if you count /all/ the unpaid work) years. Maybe I’ll find some ways to express it. But what Severija speaks to as an in-office volunteer is heartbreaking. https://twitter.com/severija_b/status/1385864773980631048

The need to volunteer comes out of necessity at seeing so much to fix, better, and change but not succeeding in getting a paid role. Yet, when a specific role is taken away, who’s left to ensure LGBTI+ (particularly trans) work gets done?.. Volunteers (and @chiaracapraro).

It’s really weird to be told you’re not good enough to work there (got interviewed for a role against someone who was already in the job tbf) but you’re good enough to lead the trans campaigns for free, provide advice, constantly have to bring them up on issues of race equity...

It’s weirder still when I’ve raised issues of experiencing racism and Islamophobia with a member of staff to have myself told that the person who did it didn’t mean it, doesn’t see it that way (they were an Amnesty ambassador) and meant no harm. But the harm was caused!!