Representing ‘Race’ and Migration

Our new resource: Representing ‘Race’ and Migration  

Download immediately via the button below, or scroll down to learn more about this work.

Why are we exploring the intersection of ‘race’ and migration?

Since creating our last communications guide Migration in the media: telling authentic stories with impact, we’ve furthered the conversation. 

In 2023, we had a series of chats with our network of young people with lived experience of migration about what more they needed from our programme. Our young people felt that there was a gap in the project for an in depth focus on those from racialised backgrounds – and how this identity makes their experiences of migration unique. We decided to bring this thinking into our work – exploring the impact of ‘race’ on experiences of migration. Our intersectionality work was born. 

The Media Movers programme has traditionally worked with networks with lived experience people to inspire better content around migration-based storylines. It felt important to us that we recognised this intersection, and so we embarked on a journey to address this, and support our friends in the media to create content that does too. 

We’ve created this resource in collaboration with anti-racist organisation Runnymede and our  brilliant network of young people. We’ve also enlisted some insights from Jumoke Abdullahi who has worked in the intersectional space for many years. 

Our objective for this guide was to make it clear and simple, jargon free and easy to digest, so all you need to do is take it in. 

Why are we shouting about this? 

This project highlights an issue hidden in plain sight. 

We know that ‘race’ is inherently linked with migration in the stories that we see within popular culture and the media more broadly. It is rare however, that we find this intersection explicitly highlighted and the unique experiences of those from racialised and groups who have migrated, emphasised. 

This means that it can go undercover. We’ve seen the results of this in policies that target people who have migrated, which also disproportionately target people of colour. This needs to be recognised. 

This project is also important as it highlights a shift away from viewing important issues like migration and ‘race’ in silos. Instead, it demonstrates the importance of exploring how systems of oppression intersect and how they affect everyday experiences. 

What will you find in this resource? 

In this resource, you’ll find a clear breakdown of intersectionality – and some examples of how it can show up in the context of ‘race’ and migration specifically. We’ve added a few policies and historical facts to set the scene – but we’ve tried to keep this light! 

You’ll also find a very straightforward guide of ways that we can more effectively represent the intersection of ‘race’ and migration in the content that we create – and a clear action plan of how you can apply this to your work. 

Lastly, and most importantly, we’ve included some tips from our young people with lived experience of this issue, to keep in mind when diving into this area. 

You can find the Representing ‘Race’ and Migration below to download. We hope you enjoy it as much as we loved creating it.