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• It was an informative session that gave us an understanding of what happens in the real world when looking at racism.

• The session was interactive with lots of activities and discussion, all of us were included.

• The variety of activities kept us entertained and informed, Zara clearly has a passion for her work, it was from the heart.

• - Primary students

“The Panda Anti-Racism Team provided an excellent workshop for our year 5 students. The content - a good mix of talk and activity - was well paced and extremely thought provoking. After the workshop the children reported feeling better informed about the subject and  had a better understanding of their own behaviour. “

- Year 5 Primary School Teacher

“Thank you Zara and her team for a very informative, interesting and thought provoking session you recently provided for the Kent Police Cadet Volunteer leaders.  It was very well received by all our leaders and we look forward to more input from yourselves for new leaders and our cadets.”

— Police Cadets Leader

National Diversity Awards Testimonials

Tanya take action from her heart in every step towards paving the way to a more diverse and inclusive society. She helps people to understand what to be anti racist means and how we can all take small steps each day to improve the world we live in.

Zara is one of the most passionate individuals I\'ve ever had the pleasure to work with. She continually strives to educate others on how to be more inclusive and actively anti-racist. She has the ability to engage with some of the more difficult to reach groups of people and is really skilled in helping others move towards a more open mindset. Zara embraces challenges head on and is a role model to all the young people she works with, her colleagues, friends and family. Zara normalises some of the uncomfortable conversations we have around racism; to learn from one another and make positive changes we need to be having open non-judgemental conversations. I\'m really thankful for all that I\'ve learnt from her and I continue to be inspired by the positive ripple effect she creates with all those she encounters on a daily basis

I have found PART to be an outstanding resource to help support my own organisation’s anti-racism work. Zara has been consistently working with regular posts, information, ideas and links.

I started working with Zara in 2015 supporting secondary school students and it quickly became apparent that Zara is not only dedicated and professional but also incredibly caring and empathetic. However, what Zara has done since then is incredible. She went on to work in mental health, visiting schools and homes to support the most vulnerable students, which in itself is a demanding job that calls on your deepest resources in terms of emotional resilience, but she didn\'t stop there. She then set up PANDA, which she takes to schools and organisations in our area which is very much lacking in diversity. The driving force for this was the racism her children suffered (she has 3 children) and she wanted to do something positive to help educate and break down barriers. Her boundless energy and enthusiasm for her cause, and especially for her family and friends is amazing. She is down to earth, passionate, and maybe a bit crazy! She\'s hilarious too!!

Zara is a great role model. She makes helping others look effortless. The lives she has had a positive impact is amazing. She never complains she just focuses and gets on with it whilst being the matriarch of her own family. She is the true meaning of a superwomen and the world needs more people like her. She has initiated change, talking about the things no one is brave enough to stand up for. She deserves this award and more. She’s going to change the world I guarantee that. She will go that extra mile to make a impact in others lives.

Zara is so deserving of this nomination. She is an incredible women working hard to inspire others. Her dedication and commitmemt to raising awareness, educating and challenging others is undoubted whilst her own experiences have allowed her to empathise and support in such a positive way. Zara has helped so many already and her infectious personality and passion has most definitely influenced me and helped me to feel more confident in challenging others and in promoting diversity and I am a better person as a result.

Zara is passionate, caring and dedicated to making a change and educating others about this change. Her approach is fair, honest and safe. You can rely on Zara to not only answer your questions but give you support and guidance by the safe environment she creates. This is so important, especially with young people as feeling safe is vital for young people to be open. Zara generates discussions in a way that allows them to feel comfortable and confident to be themselves. Zara is extremely hard working. Balancing full time work, being a mother, wife and setting up PART is an example of her dedication and passion on supporting, guiding and helping others start their anti-racist journey. Not only this, Zara supports those who have had to deal with racism, as herself and her family have been through this too. Using her own experiences to help others in an assertive and positive way allowing collaboration means the individuals or group feels part of something bigger, part of a supportive, caring inclusive group just like a family.

Zara works tirelessly to educate children and their families on the importance of living an anti-racist life. She’s is hardworking and dedicated to this cause, she encourages discussion between young and old in such a positive way. She’s has done some fabulous work in schools across the country and devotes all of her time. One of the most fantastic things about Zara is that all of her workshops and materials are delivered in such a way that really encourage open communication in a non-judgemental way. This woman is smart, strong and dedicated and I have no doubt that she will make a massive difference to the society we live in. I am beyond proud to call her a friend and beyond proud of everything she does.

Zara has opened up a platform to educate without discrimination in diverse and hard to talk about subjects. Her Facebook page has not only given me tools to educate myself and children but given me the knowledge about unconscious bias that I never knew existed. Her determination and drive is inspiring and her hardwork is paying off as she is branching and reaching out to so many people. She deserves the recognition for her hardwork.

Witnessing ZARA turn negative experiences into educational and positive solutions not only for her family but to help the community and society, has been a humbling and wonderful thing. She has a Warmth about her and passion for justice and equality, that makes you want to be part of a solution to change the world for the better. Her passion for change and raising awareness of racism and the impact this has on so many is very important and she is truly deserving of any award to celebrate her hard work.

Zara has created safe space for Adults and Young People to talk about race, equality and to ask questions that we might not always feel comfortable asking previously. She's also a great leader, teacher and an all round positive role model!

Zara is always looking for new ways she can support and improve the lives of people who face daily discrimination. She is so passionate about this that she has runs PART, an anti-racism charity that goes into schools to talk about race and racism in the UK. She inspires those around her to challenge others and is passionate about anti-racism. Zara is an inspiration to all those around her and deserves to be recognised for the hard work she puts in daily to educating young people, services, charities and teachers. Zara encourages conversations that too often in our society get dismissed or suppressed.

Zara is the most amazing role model and works tirelessly to educate people of all ages of the effects and damage racism causes to individuals, communities and relationships. From her own lived experiences of being a mother whose children received racial abuse, Zara took an awful, all too common occurrence and channelled it into creating her inclusive programme for young people (PART- Panda Anti Racism Team) promoting calm, open and educative conversations about racism, minority backgrounds and lived experiences. Zara's work is inspiring and she embodies someone who is accepting, open minded, reflective, supportive and just someone who is making a difference in trying to create a better future for young people, adults, friends, family, colleagues and just anyone who is open to learning.

If anyone to be trusted with such a responsibility in tackling the topic of diversity in the community. It would be Zara. She is strong and brave, there’s nothing too big for her that she won’t put her heart and soul into. She deserves this award and more. The hard work that she has put in to make sure that her communities needs are heard is amazing and she is a great leader in doing so.

This organization and Zara are making a difference! The investment Zara has made will have a ginormous impact on the youth of today and tomorrow, working to make a change that will make society inclusive in a major step in equality and sending a positive message that we all deserve respect, opportunity and to be treated fairly with open honesty.

Zara's work through PART is so important. As someone working in Education, I have found the information, insights and advice she has provided through PART to be invaluable and inspirational. Her passion, dedication, determination and resilience shine through on the PART social media pages. I would love to see her workshops and training expand across Kent to help address racism.

PART was created by the amazing Zara Rawlinson. There is many things that make PART amazing and award winning, but firstly what needs to be recognised is that PART is a purpose led CIC that was created from a painful situation that Zara turned into a solution, not many people can do that but Zara did which is a testament to who is is as a person, and educator but most importantly a mother. Zara spent her life living in South East London and in 2013 she moved to Kent with the hope of giving my children a brighter future. As a black woman with three mixed race children she was anxious prior to moving; she was aware of the lack of diversity in Kent compared to Londons, but she had hoped times had changed and that racism was a thing of the past. Unfortunately quite quickly she realised this wasn't the case. Upon arrival, Zara and her children were quite quickly subjected to various levels of racial abuse, including; racist comments, derogatory racist language and racially instigated bullying. Zara had two choices do nothing or create a solution and show her children that it was not ok. So she created PART. Through PART Zara educates young people in an inclusive way by discussing their views, promoting diversity and supporting equality. Having open conversations about the effects of racism and what influences it, she also leads conversations with teachers and parents and the conversations are growing. The work that Zara is doing is so necessary and along side this she works full time as a Wellbeing and Communities Manager for MindWeaver supporting Black and Brown folks with all aspects of wellbeing and the wider community. She is a source of light for everyone she encounters and the world is generally a better place with her in it. Thank you Zara for everything you do. We really appreciate you and it really is an honour to nominate you

They do an amazing job educating people on racism and everything involved with it.

I have seen how passionate zara is about the cause in her personal life growing up with her and how she works to educate others today and implement change through her experiences.

Worked with Zara and seen first hand the passion enthusiasm and power behind this amazing woman and her utter determination to achieve and advocate for others

Turning negative in to positive by educating and understanding.

What an inspiration team. Such an important organisation speaking out about the truths in todays society. Thanks for all that you do. You have and will change so many lives. Inspiring!

Zara has had an incredible journey with PART which will most definitely continue due to her passion to educate and share her experiences. She continues to spread her passion and knowledge about the effects of racism. PART is much needed and her dedication is undoubted - Truly inspirational, a wonderful mentor and a woman with the biggest heart. Truly deserving of this award.