Reflections on this year’s Black History Month Theme of Saluting our Sisters

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Written by Dr Amelia Baldwin

Content Warning: This text explores issues such as racism and colonisation

I am a counselling psychologist whose personal story is very much linked with UWE’s. Back in 2004, I was part of UWE’s original cohort on what was then a brand-new doctorate in counselling psychology. It has been quite a journey from those initial steps into UWE and the profession of counselling psychology. I am very proud to be a graduate of UWE’s doctoral counselling psychology programme. I was honoured to be invited as a speaker at this year’s Black History Month (BHM) launch on the 2nd of October, 2023. The following is the speech I gave at the launch event, and it explores what this year’s BHM theme of Saluting our Sisters means to me:

This is a photo of Dr Amelia Baldwin. They are stood behind a microphone stand wearing a long yellow/orange dress.
Photograph of Dr Amelia Baldwin, Senior Lecturer in Counselling Psychology, delivering her speech at the launch of UWE’s 2023 Black History Month.

Photo credit: Naomi Williams
Instagram: @williams.naomi_
www.naomi-williams.co.uk

What are you?

I started being asked this as a 4-year-old when my parents moved back to their recently liberated home country of Zimbabwe. I came to realise that this referred to me as a racially marginalised woman.

It was the ‘what’ rather than the ‘who’ that I came to see would often shape my world. In other words, my intersectional experiences as a Mixed-Race neurodiverse woman would determine my reality. Contemplating and addressing the ways in which people, both in the past and the present, have engaged with this question has led me to a career that offers potential ways to address why this is a question and what the possible answers might be.

What am I? You can see why this question is posed. It reveals that my body could be classified as white or something else. To me Stuart Hall (1997) captures my experience when he says: “the body is” read like “a text … we go around looking for this … closer and closer for those very fine differences”. These are not random differences. Farhad Dalal (2002) explains: We are not “[chromatically] … black or white” (p. 3). Race has work to do – to separate the “haves … [from] the must-not-haves” (Dalal, 2002, p. 14).

In my case, the daughter of a Mixed-Race African mother and a father whose grandparents had immigrated to Africa from India. I was born into a world where Zimbabwe, still under an apartheid system, was called Rhodesia, so named after British coloniser Cecil John Rhodes. As a child growing up in Zimbabwe, the legal apartheid may have ended, but the very openly and deliberately structured system set up to divide and keep people in their relative positions of power had not.

My racial ambiguity in such a racialised world leads to the frequent and flagrant question and need to know – what are you?

As you can imagine, the 4-year-old’s understanding and, therefore, answer to this question compared to the 16-year-old’s answer were quite different. I will not repeat here how I responded as a 16-year-old, but needless to say, it did not offer any clarity regarding my racialisation. Friends from school later told me that they turned to the teacher’s register, which, unbeknownst to me, had all their student’s racialised categories, as determined under the apartheid system, listed next to their names. For me it had a capital ‘C’ for “Coloured”, the category for those of Multiple Heritage. What are you? In this context, the expected answer was this racial category.

There is something important in the intersectional experience of being a Mixed-Race woman that cannot be explained by looking at me or my characteristics on paper. It can only be understood by hearing my story. When you ask me what I am? (And let me be clear that I am not referring to the importance of accounting for the differential outcomes for those that are othered.) What I refer to is the figuring out my position within a system of power. It means: How do I think about you? How do I conceptualise you? How do I treat you?

I do struggle at times to identify with the International or Black student experience referred to in some discussions. Although I grew up in a very openly racialised environment, I also count myself lucky to have become politically conscious in an African country. I would say that many of my difficulties as an International and Mixed-Race female student, and now academic, often lie within the isms of a British system.

The focus is often through a kind of privilege-blind lens – our education systems, being less critical, being less able, speaking too much, speaking too little, asking for too much clarification, ignoring feedback, just being unwilling, being wilful, being passive, being aggressive; and not to mention the many hardships that seem to exist solely outside of the university space. … leading to explanations and solutions that don’t require us, as a university, to inspect what we do within the university environment. This is not to be dismissive of the real socio-economic differences that lead, for instance, to Black women being disadvantaged by gender and racial pay gaps. But somehow, whiteness becomes the measure of how to get it right; whiteness is equated with benevolence, and power differentials are mystified. 

As a student, the message was often clear – you are just not good enough. And it is not only the difference in terms of grades but also in the time you are given to speak, the language you receive when you do, how many times you’re silenced, how often you are spoken over, your words and contributions repeated without credit or changed into something so unrecognisable that it is actually used to reinforce the status quo; and the extra number of years that you are put through. It feels like the system wishes for you to just give up and leave. You internalise these negative voices. You can feel paranoid and that you don’t belong.

As a staff member, sometimes the message is equally as clear: I can find myself in deficit. Although I have the same title, I went through the same recruitment process, and I have a couple of decades of experience under my belt, my expertise, my professionalism, my ability, and my presence are questioned. It feels like not being given the benefit of the doubt. It is exhausting trying to figure out how to ask a systemic question as an individual person. I need not point out that not being racist is very different to being anti-racist. And I won’t claim that I have not been tempted to just keep my head down and avoid challenging the system, but I find this position equally tiring.

Luckily, I cut my teeth in practice, in spaces that championed the need to be a critical friend to those in positions of power. My research allowed me to explore Asian cultural experiences of indigenous healing – highlighting not only that Western folk psychological practices are only a few of thousands of healing practices from across the globe but also the damage of culturally inappropriate and neoliberal practices. My doctoral research offered me the opportunity to explore British women’s experiences of racist hate crime. In no uncertain terms was the message clear here – the problem and the solution to these experiences of Black women must not be solely located within individuals but addressed as the systemic issues of racism and sexism that exist across society. This requires an intersectional lens. We need to address the lived experiences of Black women.

Fortunately, I have benefitted from inspirational and supportive colleagues who offer their time and energy to make and develop places to listen, mentor, decompress, think about what could be done, and practice self-care. The reason that I am a part of UWE is because of these supportive spaces. But it does feel risky – sending that initial e-mail or knocking on that door. There is a real fear that I will end up experiencing epistemic injustice and be problematised.

Anti-racism and decolonisation take bravery (Hull et al., 2016). This work will mean challenging ourselves, our viewpoints as well as the system. Many point out that feeling comfortable is a clue that barriers are at play, preventing the achievement of anything of meaning. We cannot let discomfort prevent us from redressing what makes us all uncomfortable.

We are not going to understand where we are unless we understand how we got here. We cannot make the change needed without hearing the stories rooted in the past and re-enacted in the present (Butler, 1990; hooks, 2015). bell hooks (2003) warns that without real change to our education system, this will lead to a repeat of the past, as the only knowledge developed will be that which legitimises the current system.

This seems to me to be a central purpose of BHM. It emphasises the importance that this is not an annual event after which we return to the status quo and, therefore, have 11 de facto white history months. We need to not only hear these stories but to understand why they were silent, why they occur and how they are continued.

BHM is a month created to recognise and focus on Black history, which is British history. The omission and appropriation of Black his-stories and her-stories that occurred, for example, during the Enlightenment period, leads to our Eurocentric curriculum.

This year’s theme of Saluting our Sisters reminds us that Black women’s lived experiences need to be central in order to understand and, therefore, to address issues such as racism and sexism. Black Feminist voices are being silenced, and I see real potential for a university like UWE to address this issue. But I will not be the first nor, sadly, the last to say that academic spaces are renowned for being all talk and no action.

So, I will sum this up by asking:

UWE, what are you?

Where are Black women empowered to tell their story?

In fact, where are Black women present and not present?

Are Black women being valued equally?

How will Black women be central to determining all our stories going forward?

References:

Butler, J. (1990). Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. Abingdon: Routledge.

Dalal, F. (2002). Race, colour and the processes of racialisation: new perspectives from group analysis, psychoanalysis and sociology. Brunner-Routledge.

Hall, S. (1997). Race, The Floating Signifier, Featuring Stuart Hall, TranscriptURL:https://www.mediaed.org/transcripts/Stuart-Hall-Race-the-Floating-Signifier-Transcript.pdf (last access: 02.10.2023).

hooks, b. (2003). Rock my Soul. New York: Washington Square Press.

hooks. b. (2015). Ain’t I a woman Black women and feminism ([Second edition].). Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.

Hull, A. (Gloria T. ), Bell-Scott, P., Smith, B., & Cooper, B. C. (2016). But Some of Us Are Brave: Black Women’s Studies (2nd edition). The Feminist Press at CUNY.

The Value of Staff Networks

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By Richard Strange

As you may well have seen in a recent VC update, each member of the Vice-Chancellor’s Executive (VCE) is sponsoring a particular diversity strand. I chose to be VCE Diversity Champion for Families, Parents, Carers, and Care-leavers. As a parent to five myself, I felt a connection with the groups involved, partly due to one of my children having a physical disability and another going through an autism diagnosis. Experiences that I could hopefully share, along with knowledge I have gained during my parenthood journey.

I recently joined a Parent Group meeting for the first time, I was made to feel very welcome, and spent time listening to those who had joined the session, who were clearly comfortable to share their own personal family situations and some of the life challenges they were having to navigate.

What was quickly apparent was the constant challenge for parents who must cope with the day to day competing needs of their careers and their children, which at times can be overwhelming. A situation that is compounded further when having to care for a child with additional physical or neurodiversity needs.

One of the conversations that really stuck with me, was when a member of the group shared how they have, on occasion, felt anxious when in a meeting, knowing that they are expecting an important phone call from their child’s school.  This anxiety is driven by not knowing if they would be able to take the call, or if they would feel comfortable leaving the meeting to do so.

As a group we also discussed the financial pressures parents face, a pressure that is clearly heightened during periods such as Christmas. Members of the group shared ways they approach and manage these pressures.

It made me question if as a leader I create a culture and environment that allows those around me to feel comfortable to share their personal situations, so that they feel reassured and supported, not needing to worry or question taking the call when it comes. As leaders we play a key role in ensuring we understand our individual team members, the challenges they may be facing and how we can support them, creating the conditions that enable them to give their best.

Every day as a parent is a learning day, there is no manual to refer to, and groups like this one can help, by bringing together members of staff from across UWE, to share challenges and support each other. If you are a parent or carer, please don’t feel alone when having to navigate the complexities of raising a family, as you will be amazed at how many around you are having similar experiences and can offer to listen and support.

Widening Participation Neurodiversity Student Advocates

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Written by Breanna Garbett-Davies, Widening Participation Neurodiversity Student Advocate

The COVID-19 pandemic provided some people, especially some young people, with more free time than we could have imagined. It came as no surprise that social media usage shot up during those quiet months – and although that tends to set alarm bells ringing, it wasn’t all bad. Young people started paying a lot more attention to how their brains worked, how they were different to others, what seemingly simple tasks they struggled with and what more complex tasks they found to be strangely easy. Suddenly, TikTok and Instagram were heaving with content all about neurodiversity – how to recognise it, how it might affect individuals without them even noticing, and how to manage it and thrive with it – and it was wonderful to witness. 

Neurodiversity has gained a lot of attention in the past few years, which is why we believe our role is so vital to ensure that young people can continue to thrive in university. We currently have a modest team of five student advocates whose role is focused entirely on offering support to UWE’s neurodiverse students in whichever form is best. We hold drop-in sessions, attend university events like our Differently Abled Action brunch on Frenchay campus in November, and speak directly to staff to create real change. We also recently attended an incredibly informative talk by Lucy Smith on navigating employment as a disabled person and we’re hoping to hold a lot of similar talks in the future. 

Our role is extremely flexible, which allows for each advocate to focus on projects important to them. We’re currently working on numerous projects focused on increased accessibility throughout the university for neurodiverse students. The issues that we’re working on resolving have all been brought to us either by students seeking assistance or by each other, and we all agree that being in a role that allows for immediate action that creates real change is a very fulfilling one. It’s what makes us want to work that much harder. 

We have also recently set up a Teams site in response to students explaining a need for an online space to share resources and ask for help and advice between our meetings, which ran fortnightly in term one but which we aim to increase in frequency in the near future. We’re very thankful to Ghizzi Dunlop who kindly offered her help in setting up the site, working closely with our advocate Rhianwen, and to Alisha Airey for offering her assistance too. We’re hoping that the site becomes an online hub for students not only to ask for advice from us as advocates, but also to ask for and offer advice to each other. 

Our team of advocates works closely together to create a safe environment for both students (and for each other!) to share their insight into navigating university as neurodivergent individuals. As well as being incredibly proud of the work that we’re doing, it’s always nice to get to work in a team where everyone gets along. I consider it a pleasure to work alongside the other advocates; it’s wonderful to be in a team where everyone is working towards the same goal. 

I’d like to close with some words from one of my fellow advocates on their experience of being an advocate. We – myself, Chris, Lily, Veronika and Rhianwen – have all thoroughly enjoyed our first term of advocacy and are looking forwards to coming back to our work in the new year – we have some exciting plans in the works, so keep your eyes peeled and your inboxes checked!

“Being a ND student advocate is such an honour and pleasure but also a big responsibility. Often ND students feel at a loss when facing difficulties, be it of academic or personal nature. In my role as a ND student advocate, I’d like to ensure that I am approachable at any point and am able to communicate students’ concerns or signpost them to services that are set up to help ND students. I’d like to think that everyone in our fab team has the same goal as me, which is making sure that ND students have a level playing field and can achieve their very best as a result.” – Veronika Dutfield-Valeckova 

Disability History Month at UWE Bristol podcast – Celebrating Difference. Transforming Futures.

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As part of our Disability History Month celebrations, Katie Carson, Chair of the Disabled Staff Network and Senior Policy Advisor in the Student Voice and Academic Policy team, joins in conversation with Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost Amanda Coffey, who is also the University’s Diversity Champion for Disability, to talk about Amanda’s experiences of being a parent of a disabled child.

The theme of this year’s Disability History Month is disability, children and youth, and Amanda shares some of the privileges and challenges she and her son have faced, but also the insight she has gained that could help us shape the support that we offer for our disabled students, staff, and carers across the University.

Watch some of the highlights of their conversation below (to turn on subtitles click the ‘Settings’ icon and select ‘Subtitles’), plus a link to the full audio podcast interview is available below:

Listen to the full Disability History Month at UWE Bristol – Celebrating Difference. Transforming Futures. podcast (SoundCloud)

Disability History Month, what it means to me

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Written by Ghizzi Dunlop

History:

UK Disability History Month runs every year from 16th November to 16th December. Founded by Richard Rieser (former teacher and equality champion), after encouragement from those involved in LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) History Month and advisors on race equality suggested a need for a month to focus on Disability History. Founding supporting organisations included the Trades Union Congress, Disability coalitions and Scope. A parliamentary motion was made on 10th November 2010, signed by seventy-nine members of parliament, and can be viewed on the UK Parliament website. The motion reads as:

‘That this House welcomes the first ever Disability History Month that recognizes the history of the struggle for equality and human rights; notes that in running from 22 November until 22 December 2010 it will cover International HIV/AIDS Day, International Day of People with Disabilities and International Human Rights Day; calls on schools, colleges, universities, local authorities, employers, the public and the media to recognize and celebrate the first UK Disability History Month; encourages them to campaign to improve the unequal position of disabled people in society and work with disability charities and trade unions in the struggle for equality and inclusion; urges the Government to ensure that its policies and latest spending cuts are properly assessed in terms of their impact on people with disabilities so that they do not exacerbate existing inequalities; and looks forward to this month and future years of Disability History Month success.’

Meaning for me:

Every year it causes me consternation. I am conflicted by the necessity for ‘celebrating or memorializing’ our societies’ exclusive and inequitable norms. There is a painful history of ignoring disabled people. This othering is commonly exacerbated by intersectional characterisations:, race, gender, mental health, poverty and more. Othering of differences appears entrenched in our societies.

At the same time the month offers an opportunity to share stories and experiences, help us understand how we live, work, collaborate and study together. As people, organisations, and wider society we struggle to change our reality to something more inclusive, where our diversity is recognized, valued, and supported. I will always be an advocate, campaigner, and sharer of stories, whether my own or others. There is such richness of experience in all our stories. They are the source of so much, modern technologies, processes and increasing human understanding.

This picture from the organisers of UK Disability History Month. The picture is of a young child in a red wheel chair with their shadow on the wall behind them playing basketball. Next to the shodow on the wall, blue painted text reads 'See the ability no disability'. In the top left corner of the picture, text reads 'Disability Rights are Human Rights #NothingAboutUsWithoutUs'.

Image contains art work  See the Ability, Not Disability By Korean artist Kunyo inspired by UNDP’s work in Kazakhstan 2013 via Flickr.

The danger is that this can be, or can be perceived to be, ‘performative.’ Disabled campaign groups are rightly skeptical of our current government’s disability initiatives and campaigns. Disabled people have felt abused, ignored and our suffering trivialized by members of government responsible for supporting us. The last two sentences of the original Parliamentary motion give the lie to our actual experience of government ‘care.’

In interview with the BBC Rieser said the aim of Disability History Month is ‘to celebrate the achievements of Disabled people, to look at the disablism and oppression that we’ve been subjected to over time in all sorts of cultures and to argue for the full equality that we are entitled to under human rights legislation.’

2010 is a long time ago, what have 13 years of Disability History Months succeeded in changing? A key purpose of the original document was raising awareness of the unequal position of disabled people in society. Most people are aware of this now, though some may choose to look the other way. Another purpose was advocating disability equality, I do not foresee the need for this ever ending. Our understanding of just how varied humans are in every way is always evolving. E.g., awareness of Neurodivergence, Long COVID’s expression and ME/CFS (Myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome) for example.

We are still raising awareness and advocating, yet the position of disabled people in our society right now is sliding backward. At the same time, the proportion of disabled people in the population with physical, mental, and emotional health and neurodivergence, is growing. An aging population, Long Covid and post Covid morbidities (particularly worrying increase in children and young people disabled by COVID) and air quality and climate crisis induced health impacts are driving this together with record levels of poverty and destitution in the UK reported by the UN Special rapporteur Olivier De Schutter.

There is of course never a ‘good time to be disabled by your society.’ Right now, we need to be aware, is a particularly challenging time for colleagues, students, friends, and family. Let’s actively listen to each other, tell our stories, collaborate with open and honest hearts, and work together to make a just, humane, inclusive society.

Breaking the Binary – Personal Reflections

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Written by Bek Rengel (They/Them) and Alex Gibbings (They/Them)

Trans Awareness Week spans from November 13th to 19th and culminates in Trans Day of Remembrance on the 20th. It’s a time to commemorate lives lost to anti-transgender violence and it’s also a call to action. This week urges us to confront the political, legal, and societal challenges that persistently face the trans and gender-diverse community. Against the backdrop of a year marked by alarming increases in hate crimes, political assaults on trans rights, and media vitriol directed at this marginalized group, we wanted to share our personal reflections on navigating struggles and trans joy. 

Facing Struggles: Navigating Challenges (Alex) 

With so much hate targeted towards trans people through media and a cultivated culture war, it can be hard to keep good spirits. I have been finding it harder to navigate myself in my career, my social circles and, generally, my life. Every day I am facing some form of hate whether it is direct or indirect and I know this is the same for many trans people during this time. However, my saving grace, my ability to navigate these situations and maintain my bubbly personality has been through the support I gain from my community.   

Coming from a small village in South Wales, I never saw myself represented. Therefore, it took me longer than most people to find others like me and to gain friends that shared my experiences. I know this is the case for many trans people and I know there’s been research on queer identities in rural areas but why should queer people move into cities to feel a sense of belonging? I guess that’s another question for another day. Anyway, it took me until I was 22 to finally live as my authentic self. Why did it take me so long? Why did I not live authentically before? I know these are questions I repeatedly asked myself, but the answer is as simple as this; I did not see people like me growing up. I did not see trans people on tv, I did not see trans people in the community I grew up in, it was not until I was 22 years old that I would finally meet someone like me. The relief this gave me to feel included and not on the outskirts. To feel like I was not abnormal and to feel I belonged. It was amazing to finally not feel alone. This representation mattered to me and was enough for me to start navigating the challenges trans people too often face and declare my authenticity.  

I guess what I’m trying to say through this short piece is that I am now able to navigate the challenges, the hate, the constant berating in media for political gain because I have representation and a supportive community. Representation of people matter, and I am so thankful to all the trans people before me that have given me the privilege to be my authentic self. However, not everything is a struggle and there is so much joy that comes with being trans.  

Trans Joy: Shattering Stereotypes (Bek) 

Contrary to the narrative often perpetuated by the media and anti-trans hate groups, being trans or gender-diverse is not synonymous with misery. The prevalent fear expressed by families—of loneliness, lack of companionship, and a bleak future—is an outdated perspective. 

For myself and so many other trans people, being trans and non-binary is a source of profound joy! I have found it deeply liberating to live authentically with the right name, correct pronouns and access to essential gender-affirming healthcare. I’ve found an amazing sense of community, meeting so many incredible trans and gender diverse people as part of the committee of Trans Pride South West, Bristol’s local trans pride organisation. Working with a group that is deeply committed to improving the lives of trans and gender diverse people in the region through events and advocacy has given me the confidence to live more openly and authentically.  

I recognise that I speak from a place of privilege that is not afforded to every trans and gender diverse person. I want to use my privilege to create a world where those people can experience trans joy and live authentically. To accomplish that, we need the support of cisgender (non-trans) people. I encourage you to read personal stories, educate yourself about the challenges facing our community, and speak up for us when we can’t do it ourselves.  

A fantastic starting point is supporting local trans prides such as Trans Pride South West—whether through donations, volunteering, or attending events throughout November 2023. By actively engaging with our community, you can not only gain insight into our experiences but also share in the celebration of trans joy! 

Trans Day of Remembrance 

Now we have discussed the ways we have navigated challenges and we have found an abundance of joy in being trans, it is important to not forget those that have unfortunately lost their lives due to anti-transgender violence. I remember my first experience of attending a vigil for Trans Day of Remembrance. During the vigil we read out the names of people who have lost their lives due to anti-transgender violence in the last year and I remember hearing the name of someone who happened to have the same name as one of my close friends. It hit me hard and I felt sorrow and fear that next year I could be at another vigil hearing his name read out. These feelings are often a sad reality for trans people as each loss of a member of our community is one of profound sorrow. We mourn those who are now gone, and we commit to strive relentlessly to improve the lives for the living.  

Join us in creating a world where authenticity is met with understanding and joy for every individual, regardless of their gender identity. 

Hindu festival of Diwali

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By Jaya Mistry

Diwali is a Hindu festival but is also celebrated by those from other faiths including Jains and Sikhs.  This year Diwali will fall on Sunday 12th November as the Hindu calendar is lunar based and the exact dates varies between October and November each year.  

The word Diwali comes from the Sanskrit word deepavali, meaning “rows of lighted lamps” and in the western society Diwali is often referred to Festival of Lights.

Those who celebrate will decorate houses, shops and public places with lights and diyas usually with tealights and Rangolis: elaborate patterns made out of materials including rice, coloured sand, and flowers.

Image shows a circle of colourful lit divas. The divas are on a black reflective surface.

Image shows a circle of colourful lit divas

Image shows two assorted colours of rangolis patterns. One says 'Happy Diwali' in the centre.

Image shows two assorted colours of rangolis patterns

During the Diwali Hindus will perform pujas [prayers and blessings].  Diwali is celebrated over five days with each day signifying special pujas

Diwali is connected to various religious events/deities and many stories.
The one I recall the most is of Lord Rama returning to his Kingdom Ayodhya following 14 years of exile after rescuing Sita his wife from the demon Ravana. This triumph was marked by villages lighting homes with divas to show – “victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance”.   

Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth, is also worshipped as the bringer of blessings for the New Year.

Diwali is a time to come together with family and friends to celebrate, exchanging gifts and giving thanks for what we have, and sharing blessings. Fireworks are an essential part of the occasion.

Diwali also involves lots of sweets – mithai. Boxes of mithai are given as gifts and when visiting relatives and friends there will be a selection of mithai and other treats.

an assortment of mithai (sweets) on a table and on separate plates.

Image shows an assortment of mithai (sweets)

The image depicts a busy high street decorated with Diwali lights

Image is of a high street decorated with Diwali lights

I will be visiting family in Leicester which will include visiting a Mandir (temple) to give thanks.  

The Silly Red Ball

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A poem by Faten Mostafa Hatem

Introduction/Special thanks

Man wearing clown make up and costume, holding a white rose, and looking down with a sad expression on his face



I would like to express my gratitude and thanks to the UWE, The Office for Students, Milton Keynes Victim Support, and those who supported me through the time of crisis in Milton Keynes and gave me the chance to have a fresh start in Bristol and to believe in myself once again. Also, I would like to thank SARI (Stand Against Racism & Inequality) for taking action on discrimination. 

This poem is a way to tell a true story that I lived but with certain changes to some elements to communicate the deep feelings that are a result of lived experiences of discrimination. Communicating how it feels is essential to inspire people to stop it, fight back and speak up in different ways. Art helped me through the journey or recovering from the intense impact it had on me living in different countries and situations exposed to different people, culture and social standard. Art was a way to find peace..to create peace for myself at times I have been attacked for who I am and now I use it to ask for peace for us all.

A dedication to my beautiful friend Alaa Shehatah from beloved Palestine, who we can only pray that she, her family and people survive the conflict, find some peace and hopefully live in a world that one day will see beyond her color, nationality or religion.

The Silly Red Ball

A man in a suit,                    a clown and a small girl.

Sitting in a boat in silence,       with no clue of a shore

The man turned to the clown,             asked for a joke

He answered back: “Very well then,    we`re all bored

“…I know one, actually,                   the best of jokes…”

The kid knew what he`s up        but never said a word

with a smile most sarcastic             …the clown spoke

“I was at the top once;                       I was no small…”

“…A bright young bird    that`s been hit by a stone…”

“…isn’t this mine?, I asked…  what the boss just stole?”

“…I suddenly couldn’t eat,                 smile, or talk…”

“…I went to the doctor          to figure what`s wrong…”

“..A fracture in the heart, he said,   a wound in the soul”

“..I went back to my office,…   they sent me home…”

“…If you don’t give in”, they said             you`ll never belong…”

The clown kept on talking, …and took off the silly red ball

his smile has faded            as he revealed his skin tone

“…it was all about justice…what I`ve written before”

No one could laugh,                      move or speak a word

That’s when she grinned                  .. that little girl

“…he thought it was “Open”, she said    “..but it was a very closed door…”

“my brother was silly to think…  he can face them all alone”

“My father says; it is never ….the company you work for…”

“these are groups and friends…. No fair people, No fair war”

Faten Mostafa Hatem

ARTIST PROFILE:

A black and white picture of a woman standing in an art studio wearing a dark dress, light hijab, and carrying a handbag, looking thoughtfully at a painting.

Faten Mostafa Hatem is an Egyptian artist, architect, and scholar.
She is passionate about creating original creative works of art and science. Take a look at her selected works, and get in touch for more information.

https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/IXD-3354-2023

Art for Deep Diversity | Faten Mostafa Hatem (fatenhatem092.wixsite.com)

What does Black History Month mean to me?

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Portrait of young Black woman sitting on the sofa, hand under chin, looking away, contemplating

 Black History Month is not just a month for me, it’s my lifestyle – I know nothing else. Although designed to be a time for celebration, I experience a range of mixed emotions at this time of year.

I’m very proud of who I am, my heritage and the great things Black people have and continue to do and contribute towards society. Yet I feel exhausted and overwhelmed because many organisations along with the mainstream media, suddenly focus their attention and recognition on Black people when it isn’t there authentically the rest of the year, and when it is, it’s often through a negative lens.

Over the years, I’ve had many conversations with people who feel like Black History Month is a tiresome tick box exercise. As a result, I’m intrigued to know what Black History Month means to everyone else BUT Black people. I’d also like to see Black people being acknowledged and celebrated, without them having to do the majority of the organising, facilitating and educating themselves.

Growing up Black in the UK has been and still is very heavy, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I love the skin I’m in but want to be able to live and work in a society where I’m free to be me and don’t have to suppress my thoughts, feelings and emotions in order to cope with everyday life.

Although there continue to be great improvements in some areas, there is a long way to go and it’s frustrating to still experience and witness micro-aggressions and ignorant comments within the workplace, frequently reminding me that I don’t quite belong.

When engaging in this month’s activities around Black History Month, please remember that a good time for some can be very challenging for others who work and live in spaces where they endure being gaslighted, dismissed or completely ignored when issues around race arise.

Be curious and seek to understand, but also be sensitive and mindful, as many people will be re-opening some very painful wounds that still remain, long after the conversation has finished.

October shouldn’t just be a time to ask Black people to share their lived experiences. It should be a month of reflection for all, and particularly for organisations to reflect on what they are consistently doing to combat racism and ensure working environments where discrimination doesn’t exist at any level.

Let’s change the narrative!

Leyhana McCarthy

Information Point Team Leader

Black Horror: Pam Grier, Voodoo Queen

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By Jasmine Gurung

This is a picture of Lisa Fortier (played by Pam Grier) in Scream Blacula Scream 1973. The picture depicts Lisa Fortier stood in a dark shadow filled room. Her hair is in afro style and she dressed in black with a red scarf around her neck. She is holding what looks to be a male doll and is staring intently at it.
Lisa Fortier (Pam Grier) in Scream Blacula Scream, directed by Bob Kelljan, American International Pictures, 1973.

There has been a shift in horror in recent years with filmmakers like Jordan Peele flipping the script and writing horror with fully fleshed out Black protagonists. In his work, Peele often depicts Black people being misled or tricked by their white counterparts, as in the modern classic Get Out (2017). His stories are radical, highlighting the scary reality of living as a Black person in America. This wave of revisionist Black horror has been seen before with blaxploitation horror movies made in the 1970s – a genre of films influenced by the Black Power movement and with predominantly African American casts. Although controversial for their representation of crime, the films make a point to lean into and reclaim stereotypes that the white media projected onto them.

Perhaps the most important actress in the blaxploitation genre, Pam Grier played the powerful heroines in Coffy (1973) and Foxy Brown (1974) – and inspired Tarantino’s Jackie Brown (1997). By taking on these roles, Grier challenged both the racial stereotypes and sexism that Black actresses faced at the time. In Scream, Blacula, Scream (1973), the sequel to Blacula (1972), she plays Lisa Fortier, the apprentice of the Voodoo queen, Mama Loa. Recognising her rare combination of intelligence, strength, and respect for the traditions of their craft, the dying queen chooses Lisa as her successor. Lisa goes through an empowering narrative arc that symbolises the passing of knowledge and responsibility between women, one generation to the next. Pam Grier is fantastic: her portrayal of Lisa is fearless and sexy, and she brings both beauty and resilience to the heroine. Carving her own mark onto a genre that was pioneering in its own right, Grier is an icon you should definitely watch on screen this Black History Month.

Further Black horror viewing for Halloween:

Scream Blacula Scream (1973) available on YouTube

Ganja & Hess (1973) available via Kanopy

Sugar Hill (1974) available via Internet Archive

Get Out (2017) available via Box of Broadcasts

Candyman (2021) available via Box of Broadcasts

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