Action for Race Equality

Empowering Young People who are Black, Asian and of Mixed Heritage

Youth Action Network

Young people advocating for race equality

Young people from Black, Asian, Mixed-heritage and minority ethnic backgrounds lie at the heart of our work to achieve race equality.

That is why we are proud to have created a specialist youth panel, called the Youth Action Network, as part of our Building Ethnic Diversity in the Youth Employability Sector programme. Thanks to generous funding from the Youth Futures Foundation, ARE will be working closely with 16 – 24 year old’s from ethnically diverse backgrounds to ensure their voices and lived experiences inform how we deliver positive and meaningful change for the next generation.

Axce Sellathurai

Axce is 17 years old and studying English Literature, Politics and Theology. She aspires to become a barrister specialising in Human Rights advocacy. Having taken part in many legal placements, including at the Government Legal Department, she looks forward to taking an active stance in the pursuit of justice both now, and in the future. She is incredibly passionate about the investment in young people for the future, ensuring they have equal access to opportunities and experiences that will be valuable in their future careers.

Christie Woodward

Artist and designer

Christie is a creative individual, with hobbies across a range of creative fields. From a young age, she realised that race and ethnicity have affected the way she was perceived. Not having POC role-models in the industry she’s pursuing is something she has grown to realise is common for many of her friends from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds. This has driven her to achieve what she wants even more so, so that she can become a role model for others and see them express themselves creatively in the way she has learnt to.

Ishitha Islam

University student

Alongside studying a BA in International Development, Ishitha has previously been a panelist for the Social Mobility Foundation, a member of the WOW’s (Women of the World’s) Youth Directory and has performed a speech regarding India’s military involvement in Kashmir at the Mulberry Youth Conference 2020. She enjoys reading non-fiction books, particularly those focusing on social mobility and colonialism.

Lynn El Masri

Aspiring Legal Advocate

Lynn aspires to be a commercial barrister, supporting underrepresented communities globally and driving positive change. Her passion for law stems from her participation in the prestigious Cambridge Law Summer Scholarship. She has also worked as an End World Hunger Ambassador under iEARN.

Sahil Sandhu

University student

Sahil studies Political Science and International Relations. He was president of his university’s POLSIS in Colour society, working to create a comfortable environment for ethnic minority students in the School of Government.
He has also taken part in a range of experiences including at the Bank of England, Universitas21, and The Social Mobility Foundation.

Growing up in multi-cultural Birmingham, he recognises the importance of reducing inequalities across the UK.

Sulimaan Smith

A-level student

As a house caption at his school, Sulaimaan delivers speeches, assemblies and organises events which encourage pupils to participate in the wider school community. This helps them find their passion, as he found his in Debate Mate which led him to join his school’s own debate team where he has won multiple awards. Outside of studies, Sulaimaan reaches for a pen and paper whenever he can as he loves drawing.

    Taha Tariq

    A-level student

    Taha is studying his A-levels and hopes to become a philanthropist one day. He takes pride in his entrepreneurial skills, particularly in content creation and is particularly driven to address educational inequality impacting academic attainment and employment opportunities for certain demographics in the UK. 

    Whitney Aiguokhian

    Student, member of the GMCYA

    Whitney is a college student with a passion for social action and a strong desire to make a difference. She has been a member of the Greater Manchester Youth Combined Authority, a group working with the Greater Manchester Police to improve the police’s relationship with ethnic minority communities. Whitney looks to find solutions to problems, and is excited to improve the world of employment.

    Mental Health, studying and socio-economic pressures were discussed by Youth Action Network’s Axce Sellathurai and the ARE Youth Panel Lead in ARE’s pilot podcast, for Mental Health week.

    listen on soundcloud

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