We are starting this week (29 July) by acknowledging Javid Rasul, Advanced Social Worker Professional for our FIRST team.
Javid was given a shoutout by Dianna Dass-Farrell, Clinical Service Manager who said:
“Javid is a member of the team who always advocates for those in need. Javid strives to ensure that where there are inequalities, he tries to find solutions by reaching out to agencies/stakeholders who can support. Javid works in a holistic way and has a ‘think family’ approach. The service user is at the core of his work and their family’s needs are also considered.”
Reflecting on his heritage, Javid said:
“I am a proud British Pakistani who has had the opportunity of living and growing within two cultures interwoven in today’s society. My parents immigrated to the UK (Halifax) from Pakistan in the 1940s. My father started working in the local textile industry and then became a bus driver before finally running his own grocery store down the road. Similarly, my mother owned and ran a textiles/wool shop not far from where we lived.
I feel fortunate being brought up as a British Pakistani and a Muslim, but it has not come without its challenges. Growing up in Halifax in the 1970s/80s (a very small village in Yorkshire), was a predominantly white community and we experienced racism and discrimination. However, this did not hinder my ambitions for education and success. I saw my parents working hard to enable myself and my family the same opportunities as the wider community. Growing up with a mix of the two cultures and with people from different walks of life allowed me to appreciate the struggles people faced from different societies, cultures and religions. I learnt how food, music, art, language, clothing and travel became an important part of people’s lives and how it brought them together. I learnt a lot from these experiences and despite the differences in culture or religion, saw how it brought together some understanding and respect for one another.
I now live in Birmingham with my wife and two children and we embrace our culture and religion, bringing up our children into the same interwoven society, which again doesn’t always come without its challenges. I watched and respected my father for working very hard to give me the life and opportunities that he wanted for me. I want the same for my boys; to experience education and opportunities enabling them to grow and stand on their own two feet in the future. I want them to understand and embrace their culture and religion and for them to respect the same of others who they live amongst and hopefully they will do the same for their children. If we don’t pass this onto our children and generations to come, our lineage will be lost and so it is even more important that we do not lose sight of our roots, our native country and history.
Although there has been much progression within cultures living together from when I was growing up in the 70s, sadly there is still a lot of division, discrimination and racism in today’s society. There is much more work to be done. South Asian Heritage month gives individuals and groups the opportunity to celebrate the diverse nature of each person’s background, cultures, religion and experience. It brings opportunities for people to share stories and experiences. We can channel ignorance with education and do our bit to help eliminate barriers and prejudices within our society.
It is within diversity and differences that we find shared understanding, unity and respect (inshallah)”.
Published: 29 July 2024
