To our members,
You may have heard about the passing of Professor Jason Arday and how the coverage and reaction from the British media was vicious, inhumane and racist.
It would not feel right for us not to acknowledge this loss.
We recognise that racism, and the circumstances surrounding Professor Jason Arday’s death, may be very triggering and painful for many in our communities.
Many of us are angry, hurt, grieving and triggered. We want to remind you, first and foremost, to please take care of yourselves and one another.
The fight for justice will continue and we know that it must. But, for now it is also okay to pause, to grieve, to prioritise your wellbeing and to remember and honour the legacy of Professor Jason Arday.
I met Jason for the first time back in 2017. We most recently got the chance to hang out some months ago when we sat next to each other at a dinner, where he covertly paid for everyone’s meals as an expression of his gratitude.
There were many kind ‘small things’ that he did in secret. These are things in which he sought no fanfare, but just did them out of the goodness of his heart.
Jason was a friend and like everyone I know that has met him, I found him to be a warm, humble and caring person who was always full of wisdom.
The excessive media coverage against him was a disgrace and inhumane.
May he now Rest in Peace and may he Rest in Power. Following the tragic death there are some key things we would like to encourage our members to do:
Support Jason’s family
Donate to the GoFundMe campaign to help with funeral costs and support Jason’s family during this incredibly difficult time.
Call for justice
Support the Good Law Project’s campaign calling for a public inquiry and sign the petition seeking accountability and justice for Jason.
Matthew Johnson
ROTA Chief Executive