The Prophecies of James Baldwin - brap’s 5th bootcamp

Everything now, we must assume, is in our hands; we have no right to assume otherwise.

James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time (1963)

Every day, many of us wake up to a world we struggle to recognise.

We were encouraged to believe that racism was in decline. That progress was inevitable. That renewed commitments to anti-racism - catalysed again by the murder of George Floyd - were taking hold.

And yet, here we are.

History reminds us that we stand where we do today because of the courage, wisdom, and sacrifice of those who came before us. Many laid down pathways for us to follow. We honour them all.

But as the world feels increasingly unstable - as if spiralling beyond our control - we are called back to the words of a prophet whose work continues to speak with unsettling clarity.

James Baldwin reminds us that responsibility cannot be deferred. That love is not passive. That agency is collective. And that purpose must be practiced.

brap’s next Anti-Racism Bootcamp invites us - especially those who have committed themselves to addressing racism - to practice Baldwin’s call.

This is a space to:

• deepen consciousness

• learn together in community

• engage honestly with responsibility, love, and action

• strengthen our capacity to challenge racism, collectively, and sustainably

If you have attended a brap bootcamp before, you will know the power of learning in a collective committed to justice.

If you haven’t, you are in for a transformative experience.

Because, as Baldwin reminds us: Everything now is in our hands.

Details

This is reflective, emotionally engaged work, not passive learning and, as such, the bootcamp is not for beginners: it is for those who work in the area of addressing racism and challenging oppression. If more people apply than we have places, we will set up a waiting list. In service of spreading the work more widely, priority on the waiting list will be given to applicants who haven't attended in previous years.

Applicants should consider:

• am I prepared to examine my own assumptions, power, and positionality?

• am I willing to sit with discomfort as part of growth?

• can I engage in conversations about racism with openness rather than defensiveness?

Location: Birmingham

Dates: 29–30 July 2026

Fee: click here

To book: more information here

This short video outlines how past participants have found brap bootcamps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uit4mXlifY