Harmony Choir will be raising awareness of effects of racism on mental health and share some thoughts on how to be an active bystander.

The reason behind this event is to support people we know, who have been affected by racism, either directly or vicariously.

All proceeds will go to anti-racist organisations: ESA Scotland, which provides (amongst others) peer-support sessions to the East and Southeast Asian community, and the Racial Justice Network, which provides bystander training free of charge.

The musical show on Monday 29th November will include short talks from (guest) performers and the two involved organisations.

The event will also launch a research project on this subject, with involvement from colleagues from the University of West-Scotland and the University of Roehampton. Ethical approval for this study has been granted by the University of Edinburgh, School of Health in Social Science.

You can read a bit more about the rationale behind the event and the research here, in a blog I wrote together with a member from Harmony Choir, Christina McClure and with Jingni Ma, a colleague PhD researcher: https://www.nationalelfservice.net/populations-and-settings/black-and-minority-ethnic/vicarious-racism-mental-health/

More information can be found here: https://www.ed.ac.uk/news/2021/choir-that-transforms-lives-extends-its-range.

 

Liesbeth Tip, Research Assistant, University of Edinburgh

The musical event is kindly funded by the Society for Theatre Research: https://www.str.org.uk/grants-prizes/research-awards/