The Cambridge SU BME Campaign is established to work towards anti-racism campaigning and enhancing the voices and concerns of BME students at the University.
The Cambridge SU BME Campaign is established to work towards anti-racism campaigning and enhancing the voices and concerns of BME students at the University. Our committee are all dedicated to this aim, and are excited to launch a number of campaigns to widen our reach, and promote a dialogue within the University and the wider community.
One such example would be with the ‘Big Sib Scheme’, launched by our Women’s and NB Officer, Maya McFarlane. This scheme has been created this year, to pair self-identifying women and non-binary freshers with an individual already attending Cambridge (who also identifies as a woman or non-binary person). The ethos of this is assistance on a pastoral and emotional level, so that first years have someone to speak to for advice or reassurance when beginning their time at Cambridge. This is similar to our Mentorship Scheme, continued by our Access Officer, Tami Briggs, though this is focused on academic assistance, in order to lessen the Black Attainment Gap that we see statistically within the University. Our Education Officers, Tolu Mustapha and Jazal Babar, are working hard to establish a cohesive decolonising network within the University, and are planning on running a Career in Academia event, for BME individuals to understand that a career in academia is a field that they can excel in.
Our Campaigns Officers, Simran Kaur Kambo and Jordhi Nullatamby, have a number of Campaigns, divided into Access, Politics, and Community Building, ready to launch progressively over the next academic year. One such example would be with ensuring that Anti-Racism Workshops are compulsory and attended by all students within all colleges. Despite the pandemic, our Events Officers Ayan Addow and Yasmin Deflaoui are planning virtual and (where possible) socially distanced in person events for the next year, such as quizzes, ‘speed friending’, and game nights!
Our Mental Health and Disabilities Officer Elia Chitwa has many long-term goals, such as creating a more visible disabled and mental health students’ community, to allow those that fall within these intersections to have a supportive network and resources. Our LGBTQ+ officer Abdi Guleid is also ready to launch collaborations with FUSE Cambridge, lead separate discussions on topics such as on queerness and faith, and is also working with our International Officer Maro Okiti to explore the intersection of being both an international student and a QPOC. She is also working towards launching Student Stories of International students at Cambridge and hosting forums discussing the intersection racial and international issues.
All these projects, campaigns and events will be headed by our fantastic Chair and Vice Chair, Roshni Parmar-Hill and Mia Jacks. They also have plans for themselves, such as Mia’s work in facilitating the University being awarded a Race Equality Charter (REC) Silver Award. We will also be working closely with our brilliant SU BME Officer, Howard Chae. If you’re wondering how we might afford all this, our Treasurer Princella Boateng is working to guarantee we are able to fund all of our exciting new plans, and our Secretary Jaina Umeria ensures we remain organised and efficient, alongside expanding our network with cultural societies at the University!
Solidarity and love,
Mojola Akinyemi (Publicity Officer)