Beyond Protest – How to Create a Transatlantic Plan for Racial Justice and Equity

Published: Feb. 4, 2021, 3:02 p.m.

The call for racial justice and equity that followed the brutal killing of George Floyd in the summer of 2020, transcended national borders and sparked protests across the world. While protesting is a fundamental step towards change, if the demands of the protestors are not met with effective policies, then much of their efforts can fall by the wayside.

On this episode, Muddassar Ahmed sits down with leading American policy experts including Alex Johnson (Chief of Staff, U.S. Helsinki Commission), Youshea Berry (Deputy Assistant General Counsel for Legislation & Policy, USAID) and Mischa Thompson (Director of Global Partnerships, Policy & Innovation, U.S. Helsinki Commission), to explore a transatlantic response to systemic racism.

The discussion is based on a recent article by Muddassar and Alex Johnson, published by Just Security, on how effective policies, bi-lateral trade agreements and identifying inequalities highlighted by the coronavirus, are all crucial to ensuring racial equality. Given the shared history of slavery, racism, institutional prejudice and systemic inequity across the Atlantic, we must seize this moment to forge transatlantic agreements to address the legacy of racism and social injustice.