Website not representing mixed community

[VaperCut]

Last year a play centre opened nearby with a variety of activities for the local community; soft play area, football, rock climbing, ballet etc. Some of these activities are free and supported by businesses and the local football club (it's in one of the most deprived and multicultural areas in the north of England).

The centre is pretty good, my friend recommends it and DS went with his primary school in the holidays and loved it. I'd been thinking of taking both DC so checked their website for the timetable, and was quite surprised to find that despite the play centre being in the heart of the Asian community the website does not reflect that at all. There isn't a single picture of a child (or grown up for that matter) from an ethnic background. I don't have an issue with this in general but the centre is used by everyone and I feel it's not representing them and almost trying to hide this? As I mentioned there is a large Asian community in the area surrounding it. I've just checked their instagram and again, same thing. Is it trying to appeal to the white community by pretending Asians don't use it? A bit bizzare.

I am struggling with why the website isn't more inclusive, it's made me feel quite unwelcome. I guess I am sensitive as I grew up around here, experienced subtle and blatant racism from a very young age when we had the BNP presence. It's clear it still exists today and probably worsening in the current climate. I know it's not a massive issue but should I say something? My friend (who is white) said she hadn't even noticed. And of course why would she? I wouldn't normally say anything but slowly realizing that for years minorities have been afraid to call people up on small matters like this because we are made to feel it's a non issue and that we're being paranoid. I don't know. Maybe I am but Ive just been following the Naga Munchetty story today and all of this has left me feeling quite sad to be honest.

I HATE this. The local council where I live has a massive billboard advertising activities at a local town square and it's got a white woman, two white men and two white boys on it.

This isn't a terribly multicultural area but ffs! Who's in charge of these things??

Say something! Contact their marketing department.

Hi @Vapercut YANBU. Definitely say something. Or, if you don't want to do it yourself, or think it might have more clout, could you ask your local representative/councillor/MP / etc to highlight it?

You could write to your MP to complain about it.

YANBU. You need to point this out to the management.

Could it be because the area is in the heart of the Asian community that the poster deliberately uses people who are a minority in that area? Possibly to encourage them in?

The area I live in is not multicultural at all but many local posters are very ethnically diverse. I think this is positive as (1) it helps makes local activities accessible to all (2) it reflects a broader experience than that which many experience in their daily lives.

Does it really matter what flipping model is on a board? I wish this was the only thing I had to worry about

Definitely complain. It's easy for the majority not to see this, but the only way it will change is if you say something.

Find out who is responsible for the centre - might be county council or more local - and contact the manager and a couple of your councillors.

This kind of stuff is endemic. A couple of years ago, a church-run play scheme round us had a banner which featured two white policemen chasing a black youth.

I have need to spend a lot of time searching stock photos and the lack of diversity is startling.

It’s the fault of the photographers at the root of this.

Personally I do my absolute best to find multicultural images to use In my work, but it takes me hours. I could save a heap of time (and money) by just going for photos of Caucasian people, but that’s wrong imho.