Zita Holbourne: Race activist wins top award

The grassroots efforts of Zita Holbourne, fighting social and racial justice were awarded with a national honour as she collected the Role Model award at the National Diversity Awards.

Zita who is Co-founder of Black Activist Rising Against Cuts-BARAC –came to the fore this summer when she confronted the Olympic Committee LOCOG and forced them to reverse a decision that barred The Voice newspaper from being at the Games.

Never afraid of a fight for the rights of those who most need them, Zita sits on a number of Trade Union committees including the PCS and the TUC.

On winning the award Zita said:

It’s an honour to win the positive role model for race award and have my work recognised in this way. I hope that the award stands to recognise the importance of trade union and community activism in advancing race equality. All of us representing the various equality categories of the awards, represent the majority, we are not a minority or an add on, we are society.

Right now, the progress made on equality over decades is under threat. We have a duty not just to defend the hard earned gains made by those who went before us but to achieve equality in our lifetime and create a legacy for future generations.

Freedom is not the power to do what we want but to be empowered to do what’s right. Until each one of us is at liberty to embrace who we are without fear of hatred or discrimination, we all have a responsibility to stand up for equality and justice.

Having worked with Zita over a number of years, OBV would like to particularly congratulate her for the years of hard work and dedication in the field.

The National Diversity Awards 2012 whose headline sponsor was Microsoft was hosted by Brian Dowling at Manchester’s Midland Hotel on 21st September 2012.

Simon Woolley