SRtRC Official Statement on the loss of Professor Jason Arday

We are heartbroken by the loss of Professor Jason Arday. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, colleagues and everyone who had the privilege of knowing, working alongside or being inspired by him. Jason was a pioneering academic, campaigner and powerful voice for racial equality whose contribution to challenging racism will leave a lasting legacy.

Jason spoke openly about the racism he experienced throughout his life and career, including the abuse and hostility he faced from sections of the media and from fellow scholars. That treatment should not be dismissed as simply part of public or academic debate. Repeated racism, hostility and personal attacks can have a profound impact on a person’s wellbeing and mental health, particularly when experienced over many years.

We must recognise the reality of what he endured and the potential cumulative impact that racism, discrimination and sustained public hostility can have on a person’s mental health. His experiences should prompt all of us to ask difficult questions about the way Black people and people from racialised communities are treated, scrutinised and challenged in public life and within our institutions.

We must question the disproportionality in media coverage that surrounded the final weeks of Jason’s life, and the motivations behind the tone and proliferation of stories, column inches and airtime dedicated to this. Public vilification of this kind, irrespective of factors including race and ethnicity, is never acceptable, but it is important that we ask questions about why others suspected of similar professional behaviours within an academic field have not been subject to the same scrutiny, demonisation and public debate.

Jason’s life demonstrated extraordinary resilience and determination in the face of those experiences. He used his scholarship, his platform and his lived experience to challenge racism and create opportunities for others. His work helped countless people understand that racism is not simply an issue of individual prejudice, but a systemic problem that can affect people’s lives, opportunities, dignity and wellbeing.

At Show Racism the Red Card, we believe that challenging racism is also about recognising its human cost. Anti-racism must mean creating environments where people are listened to, respected and protected from racist abuse — not expecting those who experience racism to continually carry the burden of challenging it themselves.

Jason dedicated his life to creating a fairer society. We honour him by continuing the work he championed: challenging racism, listening to lived experience, confronting institutional and structural racism, supporting those affected by racism and creating spaces where everyone can feel safe, valued and able to thrive.

Jason Arday’s life mattered. His work mattered. His voice mattered.

His legacy must strengthen our determination to build a society where no one is expected to endure racism, discrimination or abuse as the price of belonging or succeeding.

Our deepest thoughts and solidarity are with Jason’s loved ones and all those mourning his loss.