Camila Schmid
From 01/22/2023
In September 2022, the Black Voices referendum just didn’t make it into the National Council. What has happened since then? How is the anti-racism work going in Austria? We create an overview and introduce you to 10 anti-racist initiatives in Austria.
The #BlackLivesMatter protests in 2020 were a historic moment that brought a new level of attention to the issue of anti-racism in Austria. Many, and mostly very young people, were given the opportunity to network, exchange ideas and organize. In September 2020, for example, “Black Voices” was initiated, the first anti-racist referendum in Austria. It called for a national action plan once morest racism. Two years later, in September 2022, it was clear: Black Voices “failed” with only 99,381 signatures and is therefore not treated as a referendum in the National Council. How did the referendum come regarding? Why is “failure” a very one-sided assessment of a larger problem? And which other initiatives continue to support anti-racism in Austria?
#BlackLivesMatter 2020 and Austria
On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a black American, died in Minneapolis as a result of racist state violence, more precisely racist police violence. This type of incident is part of a reality that is usually ignored. This time, however, bystanders managed to capture the murder on video and spread it via social media, thereby overcoming the usual ignorance. In Vienna, the activist Mugtaba Hamoudah took the initiative and registered a rally together with the activist and politician Mireille Ngosso. A real leap into the deep end, as Mireille Ngosso describes it: “To be honest, I didn’t think that more than 50 people would come. But it was still important for us to show that structural racism also exists in Austria and not only in the USA.” But contrary to all expectations, the US #BLM movement boiled up so much that their protests continued in an unprecedented way until following spilled over Austria. In the Racism Report 2020 of the association of civil courage and anti-racism work, Mugtaba Hamoudah proudly writes: “Vienna sent an incredibly strong signal that day. 50,000 people took to the streets to show their anger.”
By loading the post, you accept Instagram’s privacy policy.
Learn more
load post
Two years Black Voices referendum
As a reaction to the overwhelming mobilization in Vienna, the Black Voices referendum was initiated. Mireille Ngosso, who played a key role in getting the ball rolling, emphasizes: “We have recognized that we need political and legislative support in the fight once morest racism.” This is how a group of motivated young people came together together, which, as Black Voices board member, took over Mireille’s idea and, with the help of many supporters, formulated the referendum whose anti-racist demands covered a wide variety of areas: labor market, education, health, public and representation, police as well as flight and migration. The demands can still be read today on the referendum website. Nothing has changed in terms of their relevance.
Although Black Voices was not able to collect enough signatures, the board of Black Voices is grateful and proud, one of the speakers, Noomi Anyanwu, emphasizes: “The referendum was never just a campaign to collect signatures and the result can be very different in the Austrian context let it be seen. We have moved and mobilized a lot and participated in the discourse. We mightn’t have done it without the support of countless helpers, activists, politicians and public figures!”
By loading the post, you accept Instagram’s privacy policy.
Learn more
load post
By the community for the community
Noomi Anyanwu assures that Black Voices will continue to work once morest racism in Austria and explains that the board is currently still in a process of reinvention. In addition to the Black Voices referendum, the #BlackLivesMatter movement 2020 has also set many other stones rolling. “The great thing is that many new initiatives have emerged that are now fighting racism more vigorously because they work together and, compared to before, can act predominantly from the perspective of those affected,” says Mireille Ngosso. We present ten such initiatives that do something once morest racism and for the community from a self-determined position. You might find a safe space for you, a place to get involved, or, if you are allies in the fight once morest racism, an initiative worth supporting.
ADOE – African Diaspora Austria
The ADOE community project, founded in 2018, exists as a so-called Safer Space by and for African and Afrodiasporic people. Round tables are regularly organized to strengthen the community. ADOE also holds various workshops in which people dance or talk regarding political issues and much more.
By loading the post, you accept Instagram’s privacy policy.
Learn more
load post
Afro Rainbow Austria
The organization Afro Rainbow Austria emerged from the need for a space for African migrants from the LGBTQIA+ community. In addition to regular meetings and other events, the focus is on structure, trust and assistance. These are particularly important and valuable due to the multidimensional discrimination experiences of the Afrodiasporic LGBTQIA+ community.
By loading the post, you accept Instagram’s privacy policy.
Learn more
load post
BAYO – Association of Afro-Austrian youth and young adults
As the name suggests, the association of Afro-Austrian youth and young adults is committed to promoting young black people in Austria. Your visibility, self-empowerment, networking and participation are in the foreground. The BAYO Empowerment School takes place every year in summer to give students from Vienna a good start at school following the holidays.
By loading the post, you accept Instagram’s privacy policy.
Learn more
load post
D!SRUPT – Association for educational work critical of discrimination and racism and for the political participation of those affected by racism
D!SRUPT aims to make the often academic and difficult to access knowledge in the field of anti-discrimination and anti-racism accessible to all people in our society, especially the young. Thanks to the cooperation with the OeAD, Austria’s agency for education and internationalization, free workshops are currently being offered for school classes.
By loading the post, you accept Instagram’s privacy policy.
Learn more
load post
Documentation center Islamophobia and anti-Muslim racism
The voluntary project Dokustelle deals with a specific form of racism that is unfortunately very present in Austria: Islamophobia and anti-Muslim racism. Through documentation and advice, the documentation center not only fights once morest racism, but also strengthens its community. In addition, racism reports have been produced annually since 2015 to make the situation in Austria more visible.
By loading the post, you accept Instagram’s privacy policy.
Learn more
load post
freshVibes
freshVibes is the first black lifestyle radio show from Austria. True to the motto “Not regarding, but from and with us”, it offers a platform for cultural exchange, critical debates, open discussions and new food for thought once a month. The great thing: All programs can be listened to in the online archive of Radio ORANGE 94.0!
By loading the post, you accept Instagram’s privacy policy.
Learn more
load post
Hate is not normal
Behind the initiative “Hate is not normal” is a group of committed people who work once morest the normalization of hate in Austria. Through storytelling, political education and organizing demonstrations, the team wants to oppose racism in Austria, both online on Instagram and offline on the streets.
By loading the post, you accept Instagram’s privacy policy.
Learn more
load post
MAIL LING – Association for the Promotion of Contemporary Asian Art and Culture
With its intersectional approach once morest discrimination, the artist collective MAIL LING offers a platform for contemporary Asian art and culture. The name “Mai Ling” refers to a video by Gerhard Polt from 1979 that reproduces the racist stereotypes and prejudices of the Global North once morest Asian women and “thus holds up a mirror to German-speaking societies”.
By loading the post, you accept Instagram’s privacy policy.
Learn more
load post
SOS Balkan route
The #SOSBalkanroute initiative, founded by rapper Kid Pex, campaigns for the rights of refugees in south-eastern Europe along the so-called Balkan route. The focus is on donations in kind, which are largely organized through social media and with the help of volunteers. But clarification and information regarding the situation are also important, since the reality of life for refugees in Austria is made politically invisible. You can also support the initiative with monetary donations, you can find the account details in the Instagram bio.
By loading the post, you accept Instagram’s privacy policy.
Learn more
load post
Did you know February is Black History Month? We wrote an event guide. We also introduce you to 5 great offers for black children and their parents in Vienna and have listed a few things that blacks and BIPoCs in Austria will surely be familiar with.
Camila Schmid was part of the social media and content team of the Black Voices referendum and is active as a political educator, speaker and media maker with a focus on anti-racism, feminism, intersectionality, decolonization, diaspora and social movements. She initiated the project “Re-Define Racism” and co-founded the intersectional educational collective and alliance project once morest racism, anti-Semitism, gender discrimination and for empowerment “RAGE” as well as the Austrian association “D!SRUPT”. Camila can be reached at the email address .
Featured Image:
James Eades | Unsplash