I am BAME. Racism has affected my life, from being only one of two mixed race children in 1950s otherwise all white schools, to different treatment in shops. I am not a very confident person, and some people's reactions to me have further eroded my confidence. I have experienced quite a few incidents, some major but mostly minor. I am able to discern how racist someone is as soon as I meet them - there are no need for words. It is the frosty tone of voice, the cold look, the dismissive attitude. It irritates me when white people accuse bame people of exaggerating, or 'playing the race card' as generally, this doesn't happen. A white person, by definition, can't experience the racism directed at a black person. Someone will jump in here and tell me that racism exists in the white community too - travellers, Eastern Europeans etc, and of course I accept that. It will be the same experiences as I have had. The 'black lives matter' trend is helping to nudge things in the right direction, but my own opinion is that you can change how people choose to express themselves, it try to keep their racist views hidden, but unfortunately you can't change people's internal thoughts. That will take generations, if it happens at all. I know that sounds pessimistic, but I am a realist.