Oxford Brookes University is proud to celebrate Black History Month in October 2023. The theme for this year’s programme is "Celebrating our Sisters". We would like as many of you as possible to join in and enjoy these events that will offer an opportunity to socialise, learn and explore the racialised contexts and experience of wellness in education and wider society.
At Oxford Brookes, we are proud to celebrate Black History Month in October 2023. This year the theme is Celebrating our Sisters, recognising the experiences, talent and leadership of pioneering Black women.
The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Team, in collaboration with colleagues across the University, has brought together a rich and diverse programme of talks and events, including activities focusing on resilience, self-care and well-being.
Our keynote speech on 18 October is hosted by Natalia-Nana Lester-Bush, who will invite us to explore how race and racism interacts with some of the most pressing challenges and opportunities of higher education. As Co-Chair of the Justice Strategy Board at Goldsmith’s, University of London, and a member of the Strategic Advisory Board of Samaritans, Natalia-Nana will set the tone for our month of activities, focusing on how everyone has a part to play in addressing issues of equality, anti-racism and inclusion.
On 18 October, the Oxford Brookes BAME Staff Network will also be hosting a panel discussion on the theme of Celebrating our Brookes Sisters. This will be a great opportunity to hear from some of our female colleagues as they reflect on their individual career journeys and share their learning. The panel, which will also include the Brookes Union Vice-President for Wellbeing, will jointly explore resilience and self-care amongst other topics. Do find time to join them to listen to some inspirational journeys and celebrate the talent and wonderful achievements of colleagues from the Oxford Brookes community.
Resilience and wellbeing workshops, for both staff and students, are also running through the month, providing a space to come together, learn and also socialise.
At Oxford Brookes, inclusivity is one of our five guiding principles. Alongside working to achieve equal access to higher education from all parts of our community, including students from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, we want to ensure that participation is equal for all. The award-winning project, Decolonising the Curriculum, is a shining example of how this can be done. Developed by the Social Work Team at Brookes, it created a new model that supports achievement for students from diverse backgrounds.
Barriers to equal access continue to exist and much work still needs to take place. With such a varied range of events and activities taking place, I very much hope that as many of you as possible will get involved and enjoy what’s on offer.
Why Race Equity is a Higher Education Emergency
Video of Keynote speaker, Natalia-Nana Lester-Bush, Wednesday 18 October 2023, 6.00pm - 7.00pm
About the event
Natalia-Nana is the Co-Chair of Goldsmiths, University of London's Strategy Board. Previously, she has been a Trustee of the Anti-Racist Alliance, a local anti-racism charity and a Steering Group Member of Women in Dev. They are a specialist in Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Liberation, who blends their EDIL expertise with their lived experience as a bi-cultural, femme woman of colour with (non-visible) disabilities in their work supporting organisations and individuals in their journeys of Decolonisation, Equity and Inclusion. They centre Anti-Racism in their EDIL work, advising organisations and supporting leadership in journeys of inclusion and anti-racism, with organisations as varied as Credit Suisse, Samaritans, St Paul’s Cathedral, the NHS, and local community groups.
This Black History Month we are hosting a talk which invites and challenges us to consider Higher Education through a racial lens. Hosted by Natalia-Nana Lester-Bush, this lecture will offer a considered critique of how race and racism interact with some of the most pressing challenges and opportunities of the Higher Education experience. We will explore why, in a time of mass economic and educational crisis, race is the issue University staff, students and members of the wider Oxford community should be engaging with, and how white colleagues can - and should - be empowered and motivated to lead as allies to contribute to understanding and addressing the complex challenges the sector faces.
The Oxford Brookes Poetry Centre is holding a poetry competition as part of this year's celebrations. This year's events will be dedicated to honouring the achievements of black women who are often the forgotten heroines. We want to amplify their voices and challenge the systems that oppress them.
The competition is free to enter and open to anyone at Oxford Brookes University and all Oxfordshire residents. It has two categories: under 16 and over 16. The closing date is Sunday 15 October 2023 and there are more details about how to enter on the link below.
We are excited to say that our judge for the competition is the award-winning poet, Isabelle Baafi.
A portfolio of skills booster and taught development courses for staff that address the sub themes for Black History Month 2023 which are self care, resilience and wellbeing.
- Communicating assertively - Wednesday 4 October 2023, 9.30am - 12.00pm
- Building your confidence and self belief - Thursday 5 October 2023, 10.00am - 12.30pm
- Discovering and using your strengths Wednesday 18 October 2023, 10.00am - 12.30pm
- Managing stress and overwhelm - Wednesday 25 October 2023, 10.00am - 12.30pm
Skills Booster Training Courses - available on demand:
