So, the saying goes, we should all be looking at what’s on the inside, not making decisions based on someone’s outward appearance, but understanding what’s on the inside is complicated and grows throughout a lifetime.

Outrage from around the world in the past few weeks would tell us that we don’t do that.

It is frustrating that we are all still witnessing appalling acts of racism, that has spilled over into riots on the streets, fuelled by raw emotions.

I am a black woman living in Britain, I am a wife, mum and grandmother. I have a career I am proud of. I have my faith and as a minister look to the teachings of my faith to guide me. I love to sing, I receive joy in taking care and supporting those around me. I live in a different country to my mum and I miss her every day.

I was born in Birmingham to parents who are Jamaican born, they took the decision to migrate to Jamaica in 1981 so that my brother and I were not raised in the racist environment that my parents had witnessed during the 70’s early 80’s. I returned to the UK in 2000 in order to give my children the opportunities they wouldn’t have in Jamaica. This highlights the differences in experiences that my mum and I have gone through as parents. It shows that over the 19 years changes have been made in terms of the inequalities and racism, although there is still at lot of work to be done.

I am proud to be black, my personal journey of growth is complex, influenced by the environment I grew up in, we are all more than the colour of skin.

Over the past few weeks colleagues have asked me what can they do better? What needs to be done to promote equality and eliminate racism in our organisation? I haven’t been able to give them a simple answer, as I don’t believe it is a simple question.

Hence my answers to my colleagues’ questions are filtered through the different lenses of my life and will not necessarily represent the views of others in my community, as our journeys are all different. My faith is at the core of who I am and how I live my life, but that can also prejudice how people interpret my point of view; how they do, or don’t, listen to what I have to say, but I am at peace with this and hope that my message is received with the love through which it is spoken.

Everyone’s life experiences are different, and it doesn’t matter if my skin is different, or the same as yours, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider how my experiences and beliefs shape my point of view. I don’t think it would be fair for one to lay their own assumptions and opinions over my voice. we are more than just the colour of our skin. We are individuals, with our own beliefs and our own personal experiences. It pains my heart to see the injustice that people of colour are facing throughout the world. I have experienced limited racial injustice -my faith teaches me that we ought to love our neighbour as we love ourselves; neighbour meaning every person we come into contact with – we are all human beings, why can’t we all be treated equally?

There is no easy answer. This will be hard. You won’t find the answer by asking just one Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic person. And we should not be expected to come up with all the answers for you. This should be a unified approach by ALL, as united we stand and divided, we will fall. My faith teaches me that we are all one in Christ Jesus.

By talking about the experiences people have had and how this affects them individually and collectively - the very act of recognition is what matters and will hopefully lead to change.