The Quiet Revolution

In this debut episode of The Quiet Revolution, host Joy Warmington sits down with brap colleagues Cheryl Garvey (brap Associate) and Lakshnie Hettihewa (Psychotherapeutic Lead) to ask a difficult question: Have we gone backwards?As racist rhetoric returns to public life and flags appear on our streets, they explore whether the last few decades of progress were real, or merely a veneer that hid a society in deep distress. This raw conversation moves beyond the diagnosis to ask how we hold space for grief without validating hate, and why true progress means fixing the conditions where racism grows.In this episode, we cover:The Veneer of Progress: Why the "politically correct" era forced honest conversations underground, only for them to explode now.Backlash as Evidence: Why the current unrest might actually be a sign that the old systems are under threat.The Politics of Grief: Understanding how survival mode and loss of identity fuel division, and how to address the fear without validating the racism.Hope in Resistance: Why the counter-resistance is just as important as the backlash.Guest Bios: Cheryl Garvey and Lakshnie Hettihewa are senior brap Associates and long-time activists at brap, bringing decades of experience in navigating systemic oppression, community cohesion, and organisational change.Resources Mentioned:brap Website & ToolsJoin the Equality RepublicMusic featured:Melting Glass by Eden AveryFloodsNeutral State by Blue SagaEntanglement by Luba HilmanMissing Memories by Christopher Moe DitlevsenOut of the World by Axon TerminalFauna

"I have felt a fraud at times." Next Tuesday, we go behind closed doors at The Royal Free.Subscribe now so you don't miss it.

In Episode 2 of The Quiet Revolution, we step behind closed doors at The Royal Free London, one of the largest NHS trusts in the country, to witness a profound shift in leadership.Host Joy Warmington takes us inside the room where Group Chief Executive Peter Landstrom and his executive team stop "performing" equality and start confronting the reality of it. In a system that rewards certainty, metrics, and control, Peter admits to feeling like a "fraud" and discusses the moment he realised that his own leadership might be upholding the very norms he thought he was challenging.We also hear from Crystal Akass (former Chief People Officer), the strategist who lit the spark. She explains her radical approach to flip the traditional EDI model on its head: instead of focusing interventions on those experiencing racism, she focused accountability directly on the white leaders who hold the power to dismantle it.This is not a story about a perfect plan. It is a raw, honest look at the paralysis of white leadership, the "iceberg of racism," and what it takes to build the stamina for a quiet revolution.In this episode, we cover:The "Fraud" Confession: Why Peter Landstrom felt daunted by the "huge beast" of systemic racism and why standard NHS problem-solving skills don't work here.Flipping the Model: Crystal Akass’s strategy to stop fixing the people experiencing racism and start fixing the white leadership who run the system.The "Dinner Table" Moment: The breakthrough where anti-racism moved from an intellectual exercise to a "whole body response" of passion and shame.The Trap of "Zero Tolerance": Why relying on data and statements often hides the fact that leaders are upholding discriminatory norms.Imagination vs. Metrics: Why the NHS needs to stop looking for new data and start looking for a new imagination.Resources & Links Mentioned:brap Website: https://www.brap.org.ukEquality Republic: https://www.brap.org.uk/republicAnti Racism for White leaders: https://www.brap.org.uk/coachinghttps://www.royalfree.nhs.uk/news/royal-free-london-celebrates-double-win-hpma-awardsMusic Featured:Melting Glass by Eden AveryFloodsNeutral State by Blue SagaHara Noda, Wood and SkinOstinato VieveriThe Great White North by Eden AveryMissing Memories by Christopher Moe DitlevsenCrucial Calculations by Gavin LukeOut the the world by Axon TerminalFauna

It sounds completely ridiculous. But as we explore in our next episode, that is exactly how "bonkers" the concept of race actually is when deciding human value and worth.In Episode 3 of The Quiet Revolution, we hit pause on our external case studies to take you inside the "brap engine room." Joy Warmington sits down with senior brap Associates Cheryl Garvey and Lakshnie Hettihewa to break down the six core principles that guide their anti-racism practice.They start with the most fundamental truth: "race is an idea, it's not a fact." If you want to know what it actually takes to dismantle systemic racism beyond toolkits and tick boxes, this episode is the map you need.

In Episode 3 of The Quiet Revolution, we hit the pause button on the outside world to take you straight into the "brap engine room". If our previous episode showed you part of the practice of anti-racism, this episode gives you the map to navigate the territory.Host Joy Warmington sits down with brap colleagues Cheryl Garvey and Lakshnie Hettihewa to break down the six core ideas that guide every part of their practice. We move past the desire for easy toolkits and checklists to explore what it really means to dismantle racialised thinking and challenge systemic oppression.From the absurdity of judging human value by "ear size" to the necessity of looking at white-dominated power structures instead of just minoritised groups, this conversation unpacks the "jigsaw puzzle" of genuine equity. It is a rally call to realise that you are the system, and that disrupting power starts with you.Guest Bios:Cheryl Garvey and Lakshnie Hettihewa are senior brap Associates and long-time activists at brap, bringing decades of experience in navigating systemic oppression, community cohesion, and organisational change.In this episode, we cover:Dismantling Racialised Thinking: Why race is an idea, not a biological fact, and why we must constantly catch ourselves remaking it.The Unexamined Norm: Why we need to stop looking at marginalised groups as the "problem" and turn our gaze toward how white power is held and used.The "Tick Box" Trap: Why a "complexity mindset" is crucial, and how the desire for simple, scalable solutions prevents us from treating the root causes of racism.Building a Coalition: Why anti-racism cannot be left solely to Black and Brown people, and why collectivising is our most powerful tool against oppression.Disrupting Power: The realisation that you don't just exist within a system, you are the system, and making a different choice creates a ripple effect.Resources & Links Mentioned:brap Website: https://www.brap.org.ukEquality Republic: https://www.brap.org.uk/republicMusic Featured:Melting Glass by Eden AveryFloodsNeutral State by Blue SagaOstinato VieveriCrucial Calculations by Gavin LukeOut the the world by Axon TerminalFauna

"It feels like you're being knocked out, but then having to come back again and enter that fight again."When organisations commit to anti-racism, the stress is often channeled onto the people of colour leading the work.In our next episode, we step inside the charity sector. Mabinty Esho, Head of DEIB at Comic Relief, speaks with profound vulnerability about the personal toll of this work, the challenge of keeping hope, and why it feels like stepping into a boxing ring every day.If you want to understand the human weight of dismantling systemic racism, this is essential listening.Episode 4 launches Tuesday 24th March.Subscribe to the podcast here: https://podfollow.com/the-quiet-revolution #TheQuietRevolution #brap #AntiRacism #CharitySector #Podcast #Leadership