I was lucky to be invited to be invited to the premier of ‘Human – The Voice of Young Travellers’  a short film by York Travellers Trust, Inspired Youth and FutureHY at the Everyman cinema in York last week.

A poignant and professional film looking at the discrimination and stigma experienced in everyday life by four young people from the Travellers community in York.

Young people, like Chase, who were being honest and open about their own experience, about stereotyping and then giving an insightful view of what their life was really like.

It was shocking to read the national statistics of 91% of Travellers experiencing discrimination because of their ethnicity, about the hate and stigma these people experience, so much so that 71% of Travellers children hide their identity. And yet their culture is rich in heritage, in valuing family life, in skills and beliefs.

Chase is at college learning about mechanics. Montana is hoping to be a make-up artist. Luke is a whizz in the boxing ring and wants to be a roofer as well and Julia is at Uni, studying, just like many other young people of her age.

The Q & A at the end of the film showed us young people with hopes and dreams, more confident because of the film, wanting to be understood just like any other person.

Watch the film and choose to treat others how you wish to be treated yourself.

Find out more about York Travellers Trust, Inspired Youth and FutureHY.