February 24, 2022 will forever mark the comeback of the war spectrum in Europe following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. In less than a month, we shall celebrate the unfortunate anniversary of this tragedy which violently precipitated millions of men and women onto the roads of Europe. In spite of sharing the same tragedy, it is clear that the refugees were not all treated with the same solidarity or the same humanity, depending on whether their origins were European or African.

In fact, for the visible minorities who fled the war in Ukraine and who, for some of them, are still stuck there today, they are still afraid and insecure. They are afraid to leave the war-torn country, concerned that they will be subjected to the same racism and discrimination as the many community members who came before them.

Yet, if all human beings are born equal in rights, why can't visible minorities have the same right to safety, refuge and equal treatment at different borders?

If all human beings are born equal in rights, why can't many African international students be allowed to pursue their studies in many European countries that welcome white Ukrainian students with open arms?

If all human beings are born equal in rights, why are some black mothers denied access to important Ukrainian documents for their Ukrainian children?

Can you imagine fleeing the same war as others, but being separated at the borders because of the color of your skin? Can you imagine fleeing the same war, getting on the same trains as others, but being told you are not allowed to sit like others because of the color of your skin? Can you imagine being pregnant and being told that the dog and cat on the chair cannot be moved to allow you to sit because of your skin color? Can you imagine being told that your Ukrainian wife and children can stay, get refugee status but you will be deported because of your background?

Many members of our community do not need to imagine this, because they have lived through it and the trauma of these experiences still haunts them every day!

For 1 year, we, the Global Black Coalition, have witnessed the blatant discrimination and racism faced by many visible minorities fleeing the war in Ukraine: they have been beaten at the borders, their belongings have been thrown away, they have been illegally detained, and they have had to fight to gain legal status in some European countries.

Today, many people, including black Ukrainian children, live in fear and are homeless in many European countries. Many African international students, whose parents have sacrificed so much to send them abroad in the hope that one day they would be able to carry their families further, are being chased out of European countries, denied legal status, denied the opportunity to continue their studies and threatened with deportation.

There is not a week that goes by that the Global Black Coalition does not have to move community members from one city to another, from one country to another... They are exhausted!

Today, we need you!

We need you to continue to support and help hundreds of students and families to rebuild their lives and build a new future in Europe or elsewhere.

The emergency is everywhere!

So with your help and the results of this fundraising campaign, we will start an emergency fund.

This fund will respond to food emergencies, accommodation emergencies, legal emergencies as well as psychological emergencies of refugees from the war in Ukraine. Our work is not over. We need your help to continue our mission of mutual aid and solidarity.

Presentation of the Global Black Coalition (GBC) :

For the first time in history, Black organizations and Allies across the world are forming a Global Black coalition to support vulnerable members of our community escaping the war.

We needed to come together as NGOs and civil society to create a Coalition to ensure the safety and equal treatment of Black people in Ukraine. As many of you witnessed, since the beginning of the war, many Black people have suffered and are suffering racism while trying to escape the war in Ukraine and rebuild their lives outside of the country. Members of our community are being denied some of their fundamental human rights including the right to safety.

The needs, rights and wellbeing of Black people in Ukraine were being ignored during what will no doubt be one of the greatest humanitarian crises of our generation.

We work hand in hand at the various borders, while some team members work together from their respective countries: Canada, The United Kingdom, The United States of America, France, Switzerland, Germany, Romania and Poland where civil society community members are helping coordinate on ground efforts.

Since its creation, the Global Black Coalition has achieved many milestones; from providing buses at the various borders and housing over 1000 community members, to developing partnerships with universities in North America and Europe; from pushing important policy changes to force many European and North American governments to equally welcome Black people fleeing the war in Ukraine to ensuring the safe evacuation of over 40 students in Kherson and Sumy Ukraine, our coalition is ensuring that members of our community are not left behind.

We are a growing coalition; we welcome all Black organizations and Allies around the world who’d like to join our cause if they pass they pass our due diligence verification.