The “Voices Against Racism” program of the Barcelona City Council reached one of its highlights on Wednesday, November 13, with a lecture by American thinker john a. powell at the Hub Social. The event, titled “Antiracist Contributions from Otherness and Belonging,” featured a roundtable discussion with local anti-racist organizations. There were also interventions from the attending public.

During his lecture, Powell emphasized that the concept of “othering”—or the practice of excluding those we consider different—is one of the main obstacles to social cohesion. “We must rethink our communities, not just as spaces where we coexist, but as networks of mutual support where everyone feels they belong,” he stressed. Powell insisted that achieving a more just society requires breaking away from narratives that divide people by race, origin, or social class, and adopting an intersectional perspective that recognizes the complexity of identities. “Otherness is key to understanding many forms of discrimination, oppression, and social conflict, as it creates and reinforces power hierarchies,” said Powell. In response, he proposed “creating societies based on belonging with the goal of ensuring everyone is recognized and has a place.” He also mentioned the need to “build bridges, starting with those closest to us.”

John A. Powell is a renowned scholar and director of the Othering & Belonging Institute at the University of California, Berkeley. He has an extensive background in studying intersectionality, civil rights, and public policy. In Barcelona, he shared his vision on the importance of creating a more inclusive and empathetic society that goes beyond mere tolerance.

Roundtable with Anti-Racist Organizations

In the second part of the event, a roundtable was held with representatives from anti-racist organizations in Barcelona. Bamba Ndir from the Migration, Gender, and Development Network of the Association of Migrant Sub-Saharan Women; Cheikh Drame, president of SOS Racism; and Hatim Azahri from Jóvenes Unidos del Poble-sec and vice president of the Poble-sec Entity Coordinator participated. Each shared personal experiences and discussed the specific challenges the city faces in terms of racial discrimination and social exclusion. Topics like assimilation, integration, discrimination, dehumanization, cultural heritage, and human rights were addressed. The participants agreed with Powell on the need to create spaces of belonging and mutual support but also emphasized the importance of acting from the ground up and understanding local specifics.

The roundtable also tackled the role of public policies in the fight against racism, stressing the need to listen to the voices of racialized communities and include them in decision-making processes.

You can watch the event again at this link.