Nazir Afzal OBE: “People told me that I only got the job ‘cause I was brown.”

Nazir Afzal has turned racism on its head. He’s faced both violent and insidious abuse - both physical and verbal - but has built resilience. His experiences have catalysed his fight for justice. And what a fight it has been. All of the brazen racism that Nazir has faced is disgraceful; one thing which resonates with me right now - and it’s something which really stings - is Nazir telling me that some people said he only got to where he is, because of the colour of his skin. This totally strips away the hard work, the dedication, the hours and the soul that an individual puts into their work and their hard-earned position. I have come across this. I am very aware of people who say these things. You may have come across them too. In this chat, Nazir and I explore themes of justice, culture, background, racism and law. Nazir’s career has been rich; his personal experience has fed into this. I think that when we face adversity, we channel this into seeking equality - through what we do in our daily work and life. This could be on the smallest or the largest levels, but it gives me hope that maybe we can turn raw negativity into a journey towards change. Let me know how you feel about this chat, do you share any of these experiences? I’m @lilliealmond on Twitter, and @almondsweetness on Insta. Thanks for listening.