Nearly 30 years since the brutal murder of South-East Londonder teenager Stephen Lawrence, Stephen Lawrence Day champions action for local communities and anti-racism. The day itself, organised by the Stephen Lawrence Foundation, celebrates the life of the teenager – described as a “superhero” by his brother Stuart – who was murdered on April 22, 1993.

Today, Thursday 22nd April marks the 3rd annual Stephen Lawrence Day to commemorate the teen and push for meaningful action every year on April 22.

Stephen’s mother Baroness Lawrence said “The events of 2020 – George Floyd’s death and the subsequent resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement, along with societal inequalities exposed and exacerbated by Covid, has made us reflect how we engage with our communities.

“This brought a sharp focus on what I want to be achieved in Stephen’s name. I want Stephen Lawrence Day to be a reflective learning experience, and a celebration and journey toward a greater equality and inclusion for all.”

HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT STEPHEN LAWRENCE DAY?

EDUCTAION: UNDERSTANDING ANIT-RACISM

One way, and perhaps the most important is by understanding anti-racism and the circumstances surrounding Stephen’s murder with resources:

• The Stephen Lawrence Day educational resources
• Stand Against Racism and Inequality
• Show Racism The Red Card

SHARE: #CHALLENGEACCEPTED

There are three Stephen Lawrence Day challenges people can take on – doing an act of good in your community, writing a poem or making some art that reflects Lawrence and his legacy, and learning something about Lawrence’s legacy and sharing what you have discovered.

People are being encouraged to share the results on social media using the hashtag #ChallengeAccepted.

The foundation says: “Whatever you choose to do for Stephen Lawrence Day, we would love it if you would help us build a community of people making a difference. The more people who post on social media, the bigger our impact will be and the more people will be inspired by what you do.”

It is asking people to use the following hashtags:

• #LiveYourBestLife
• #StephenLawrence
• #StephenLawrenceDay
• #SLDay
• #ChallengeAccepted

WATCH: LIVE MEMORIAL CONERT ON TIKTOK – THURSDAY 22ND APRIL 7PM

In honour of Stephen Lawrence and his legacy, BLUP50 Talent Max Cyrus is performing Never Forget Stephen Lawrence exclusively for tonight’s live memorial concert at 7pm.

The live performance will be featured on TikTok’s channels via TikTok and Instagram @tiktok_uk

Hosted by Yinka Bokinni, the performers include:

Ray Blk
The Compozers
Alicai Harley
Max Cyrus

FOLLOW:

@sldayfdn

@yinkabokinni

@_maxcyrus