I have never been someone who dismisses the importance of research. For almost a decade, I have worked alongside research teams in the charity sector, helping to build public understanding of social issues that urgently require attention from both the public and the policymakers who hold the power to enact change.

I have witnessed firsthand how evidence, case studies and data can expose injustice, challenge government narratives and force institutions to confront uncomfortable truths. However, even with this appreciation, I cannot ignore a growing sense of research fatigue – a feeling I suspect many of us in the Black community are beginning to share.

I have lost count of how many times I’ve read headlines about Black maternal health or the underperformance of Black Caribbean boys in the education system. Each time, I’m left with the same question: so what is going to be done about it? Because at a certain point, repeatedly telling us how bad things are stops feeling informative and starts feeling more harmful than helpful.