Black History Month 2022
Our programme of events during October seeks to highlight the different aspects of wellbeing to allow staff, students and members of the public to come together to learn and socialise. After being restricted to mostly online events for many celebrations over the last couple of years we are very happy that all of our events this year are taking place on campus and face to face.
Our keynote lecture this year on 'Mental Health, race and racism in higher education' will be given by Professor Jason Arday on Wednesday 19 October. This will be followed by a panel involving other external speakers, staff, students and alumni.
Belonging - In Emergency: Break glass with Euton Daley and Amantha Edmead
17 October 2022, 7.00pm - 8.30pm
What does it take to enable us to feel safe, to feel at home, or to feel like we ‘belong’ in whatever environment we find ourselves in?
Drawing on poetry and performance, Euton Daley (Unlock the Chains Collective) and Amantha Edmead (Kuumba Nia Arts) will lead an interactive session on the theme of ‘Belonging’, supported by Rachel Barbaresi, Lecturer in Art and Design in Oxford Brookes’ School of Arts.
Using the lens and perspectives of an African heritage experience of racism, the session is open to all who have experienced or observed discrimination of any kind.
Professor Jason Arday: Mental health, race and racism in Higher Education
19 October 2022, 5.00pm
As one of the youngest UK professors and drawing on his experience of autism and neurodivergence in education, Jason will talk about the context of racism and race in higher education, focusing on systemic racism and mental health.
Jason Arday is Professor of the Sociology of Education at the University of Glasgow. Previously, he was Associate Professor in Sociology in the Department of Sociology and Deputy Executive Dean (People and Culture) in the Faculty of Social Science and Health at Durham University.
Following the lecture we will host a panel discussion on the topic of Overcoming Barriers to Black Wellness.
Barriers to black wellness and how we can overcome them
19 October 2022, 6.45pm - 8.15pm
A panel discussion on the topic of overcoming barriers to black wellness.
Chaired by Nina Epelle, Chair of Oxford Brookes BAME Staff Network
Panel Members:
- Dr Reena Vohora from the Staff Diversity Network of Oxford NHS Trust
- Professor Laura Serrant OBE, Manchester Metropolitan University
- Professor Jason Arday ,University of Glasgow
- Dr Stuart Whigham, Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes
- Diana Wanjagi and Frankii Charles - Co-Founders Student Global Majority Collective in Social Work at Oxford Brookes
Intersectional mental health with Zayna Ratty
26 October 2022, 12.00pm - 1.30pm
Led by Intersectional Therapist and Consultant, Zayna Ratty, specialist in LGBTQIA, race and ethnicity, and intersecting identities. This workshop is open to everyone.
In this workshop we will take a look at the prism of intersectional identities starting with ourselves, alongside the causation of psychological distress amongst marginalised groups. We will be discussing and inviting into the room positive mental health, how to facilitate authenticity within spaces via a lens of authenticity and self compassion.
Considering stigmatisation and how that may stifle visibility in safer spaces along with looking at the trauma of code switching, providing tools and skillsets to widen our awareness and the diversity of intersectionality in social narrative.
Body composition assessments
Commencing 3 October 2022
Nye Patrocinio from Brookes Sport will be running body composition assessments in the Sports Centre the week commencing 3 October 2022. These sessions will use technology to analyse the makeup of your body providing insights into strengths and areas to improve. This is supplemented by chatting to Nye about diet and lifestyle enabling you to understand your own body better and identify any areas you wanted to change or develop.
Slots are 20 mins long and can be booked within one of the days and times listed below. To secure yourself an appointment please email Nye directly at npatrocinio@brookes.ac.uk.
- Monday, Wednesday and Friday 7.00am - 12.00pm
- Tuesday and Thursday 9.30am -2.30pm
Walk and talk sessions
Every Wednesday at 12.00pm starting on 5 October 2022
As the theme for Black History Month for 2022 is Health and Wellbeing, Oxford Brookes University wanted to get everybody walking and talking. This event, organised by Brookes Sport, is a chance to do both. Since COVID we haven’t had much time or opportunity as a staff and student body to get together. So why not come for a walk, catch up and make some new friends.
Meet Sports Manager and Fitness Instructor Craig Carter who will be leading a Walk and Talk Session that lasts approximately 30 minutes. You will have the opportunity to ask Craig about what services Brookes Sports has to offer to improve Health and Wellness in both mental and physical health.
Departure at 12.05pm from in front of the Sports Centre, no need to book.
Climbing wall sessions at Brookes Sport
5 and 12 October 2022, 2.30pm - 4.30pm
These climbing sessions will be instructor-led roped and bouldering sessions.
Did you know we had a climbing wall in the Brookes Sports Centre? Sign up now!
You will have the opportunity to free climb our 4m bouldering walls and 11m tall tower.
Yoga classes
10 and 24 October 2022, 6.30pm
The class will last for one hour and be open to all levels including beginners. Come and explore the fusion of both mental and physical wellbeing and make some new friends.
We will be offering two yoga classes during Black History Month. These will take place on 10 October and 24 October at 6.30pm in the Snow Room, John Henry Brookes Building.
There will be a very limited number of spare mats available so if you have one please bring it with you. We would recommend wearing the clothes that you might wear to the gym, eg shorts/leggings and T-shirts/Tank tops.
If you have any queries please contact James Ridgley (p0092586@brookes.ac.uk) who will be teaching the session. If you are interested in attending the class please register and you will be sent joining instructions.
Astroturf football sessions
Harcourt Hill - 13 and 20 October 2022, 10.00am - 12.00pm
Headington Campus - 26 October, 10.00am - 12.00pm
We are hosting football sessions on the astroturf pitches at both Harcourt Hill and Headington across October.
These are open to individuals of all abilities, genders and ages from both the staff and student bodies. Come along for a laugh, a spot of exercise, some friendly conversation and a chance to network with the wider Brookes community.
Headington Campus shared sports sessions
Two days of shared sports - table tennis and volleyball - in the Brookes Sports Centre that involve very different sets of skills to come and try. We plan to have students from Brookes Sports Teams on hand to help facilitate these sessions and show us how it's done.
Continuing the theme of shared sports sessions where we hope to get a real mix of staff and students from across all levels of the University we are hosting two days of shared sports in the Brookes Sports Centre that involve very different sets of skills to come and try.
On Monday the session will be Table Tennis with 5 tables allowing for up to 20 people at a time to show off their ping pong skills. On Tuesday the hall will be set up for volleyball. If you managed to catch any of the volleyball coverage over the summer at the Commonwealth or European games now is your chance to come and give it a go yourself.
Black History Month 2022: Spotify playlists
Student playlists
Listen to music submitted by students.
Staff playlists
Listen to music submitted by staff.
Playlists are comprised of submissions by students and staff and do not represent the views or tastes of Oxford Brookes University.
Black History Month 2022: Resources and inspiration
Anti-racism resources
Staff and students can also visit our page of Race and Anti-racism resources within the Oxford Brookes EDI wepages and the Anti-racism Reading List created by the Library.
Overcoming tragedy and finding an enlightened path
For Black History Month 2022, Observe catches up with Brookes alumnus, Nathan John to tell his powerful and inspiring story.
Wellness and mental health - Black perspectives
To conclude Black History Month 2022, we have asked a varied group of Oxford Brookes alumni, all of whom are black, for their perspectives and thoughts on mental health and wellness.
Black History Month 2022 other events
Brookes Union Black History Month events
Brookes Union is marking Black History Month with the launch of the ‘See Black’ Campaign which urges students and staff not to turn a blind eye or dismiss the significance of our colour. We’ve put together a range of events across the month; from film screenings to discussion evenings, from karaoke to exhibitions. Whilst Black History Month may only fall in October, we will be celebrating black culture at Brookes all year round. We have also pulled together a list of resources for you to check out - it includes TV shows, films, podcasts, articles and more.
Black Women at Oxford: Exhibition Launch
Monday 3 October, 5.30pm - 6.30pm
Part of Black History Month, Kellogg alumna Urvi Khaitan‘s exhibition traces the lives and careers of some of Oxford’s first black women students.
The Unspoken Ms (taboos) - Menopause and Mental Health
Thursday 6 October, 7.30pm - 8.30pm
An online event giving you access to a Black Trainee Clinical Psychologist, who’s' research focuses on black women’s' menopause experiences.
A Cultural History of Race - Live Webinar
Friday 7 October, 4.30pm
Join General Editor Marius Turda (Oxford Brookes University) and Volume Editors Denise McCoskey, Thomas Hahn, Kimberley A. Coles, Dorothy Kim, Nicholas Hudson, Marina Mogilner and Tanya Golash-Boza who will discuss their ground-breaking project, ‘A Cultural History of Race’.
OUH Black History Month: African Caribbean Art and Storytelling
Tuesday 11 October, 1.00pm - 2.00pm
Lisa Anderson, Director of Black Cultural Archives, and Dr ‘H’ Patten, choreographer, storyteller and lecturer, will join us to celebrate and raise awareness of the African and Caribbean cultural heritage through visual art and storytelling.
My Voice Was Heard But It Was Ignored
Tuesday 11 October, 7:30pm, Swindon Arts Centre
My Voice Was Heard But It Was Ignored is an urgent interrogation of racial identity, written by Nana-Kofi Kufuor and directed by Dermot Daly.
OUH Black History Month: My Journey from Apartheid to Truth and Reconciliation
Wednesday 12 October, 11.00am to 12.30pm
Chris Lubbe, personal bodyguard of Nelson Mandela and inspirational speaker, will be sharing his story on his ‘Journey from Apartheid to Truth and Reconciliation’. This session is sponsored by the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre (BRC).
SOLD at Trinity College
Thursday 13 October, 7.30pm to 9.00pm, Trinity College, Oxford
A performance of 'SOLD' by Kuumba Nia Arts and Unlock the Chains, in partnership with research project 'Oxford and Caribbeanity Now'.
African History Season
13 - 15 October, The Barn at Christ Church Abingdon
What does it mean to belong? Have we truly created a place of welcome that offers acceptance and respect for all? Come and join us in The Barn at Christ Church Abingdon as we explore these poignant questions and the richness and depth of African History Season in our three-day exhibition of displays, activities, talks, workshops & hospitality to the community.
University of Oxford Black History Month Lecture with Dr Victoria Showunmi - Sophisticated Racism: Navigating the Terrain
Thursday 20 October 5.30pm to 7.00pm
Dr Victoria Showunmi is an associate professor at the Institute of Education, University College London. She has developed a national and international reputation for her work on identity and leadership.
Decolonising EU Law: Purpose, Principles & Practice
Wednesday 26 October, 5.30pm - 6.45pm
Join us for our second annual Black History Month lecture to be given by Iyiola Solanke, titled 'Decolonising EU Law: Purpose, Principles & Practice'.
OUH Black History Month Quiz
Thursday 27 October, 12.00pm - 1.00pm
Come and test your knowledge of ‘Black History and Culture’ at the OUH Black History Month quiz.
OUH Black History Month - Virtual Disco
Friday 28 October, 4.00pm - 6.00pm
Come and join us as we celebrate Black History Month with a Virtual Disco. If you bring your moves and your dancing shoes, we will provide the tunes.
Euton Daley’s Unlock the Chains Collective: Still Breathing
Saturday 29 October, 6.30pm, Sheldonian Theatre
Still Breathing is a powerful tribute to the fallen and to the millions fighting for a just world. It is both a celebration and a remembrance with live music, song, dance and ritual as the company further develops its storytelling and protest form of theatre.
Richard The Second
Saturday 5 November, 6.00pm - 8.00pm, Pegasus Theatre
A radical and electrifying new adaptation of Shakespeare’s Richard The Second. Performed in a distinctive Southern African Township theatre style, this show continues Tangle's long-term commitment to championing African Caribbean artistic excellence.
Writers Make Worlds
An open educational resource hub for Black and Asian British writing today.
National Black History Month
Events, resources and features
Black and Gay, Back in the Day
Black and Gay, Back in the Day brings to life a photo archive of Black LGBTQIA+ life in Britain, from the 1970s through to the early 2000s. Each episode is an intergenerational journey focusing on a key photograph from the archive - joining stories of the past, with those of today.
Race Equality Week 2022 - ‘Allyship: The Journey from Diversity and Inclusion to Belonging’ with Asif Sadiq MBE (recording)
Proactive, practical allyship plays a powerful role in making race equity a lived reality and creating a culture in which everyone feels they belong.
Previous Oxford Brookes Black History Month Project - Dreams and Legacies
In 2017, Oxford Brookes Poetry Centre commissioned poets and photographers to produce new work inspired by interviews with students and staff of colour at Oxford Brookes University. In these interviews, conducted by Kanja Sesay (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Adviser), the participants discussed mental health, spirituality, family, and definitions of success.
Explore the Paul Oliver Archive of African American Music
The Paul Oliver Archive of African American Music (POAAAM) is a mixed media collection that includes books and magazines, music recordings, music scores, audio reel recordings, research papers, and a 1960s jukebox. Find out more about Paul Oliver and POAAAM, visit the online exhibition created as part of the Think Human Festival 2020, or listen to the jukebox playlist.
Race Equality Week 2022
Allyship - The Journey from Diversity and Inclusion to Belonging
9 February 2022, 6.00pm - 7.00pm
Proactive, practical allyship plays a powerful role in making race equity a lived reality and creating a culture in which everyone feels they belong. On Wednesday 9 February at 6pm we welcome Asif Sadiq MBE, Senior Vice President, Head of Equity and Inclusion at WarnerMedia International, in collaboration with our BAME Staff Network, offers a special action-focused webinar on allyship.
Black History Month 2021
The Art of Capoeira - Introductory Workshop
5 October 2021, 7.00pm - 8.00pm
The fascinating and vibrant series of movements known as Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics, and music. Originally practiced by Africans enslaved in Brazil, it has since become celebrated and practiced around the world.
Belonging: In Emergency, Break Glass
7 October 2021, 12.00pm - 1.00pm
Euton Daley (Unlock the Chains Collective) and Amantha Edmead (Kuumba Nia Arts) lead an interactive session on the theme of 'belonging', supported by Rachel Barbaresi from Oxford Brookes' School of Arts.
Watch the performance stimulus for the workshop by Amantha Edmead and Euton Daley
A People's Art - The Genesis of Freedom
12 October 2021, 6.00pm - 7.30pm
A screening of excerpts from the documentary film on the history of the London Notting Hill Carnival. Tony Oldham, award winning filmmaker of two films on the London Notting Hill Carnival (Arts of Conflict and A People's Art) joins Dr Nicole Ferdinand from Oxford Brookes Business School (who is featured in both films) for a discussion of key aspects of the significance and meaning of Europe's biggest street festival.
The Power of Transforming Life Choice: A conversation with Amani Simpson
14 October 2021, 12.00pm - 1.00pm
Amani Simpson, award-winning storyteller, social entrepreneur and youth coach, shares his story and pivotal events that changed his life trajectory, with a focus on overcoming, finding your true, authentic self and standing tall.
Afro’Dance Workshop
15 October 2021, 6.00pm - 7.00pm
An online dance workshop presented by Ailey Extension. In this class, dancers will work on musicality heavily influenced by the rhythm and musical trends from the Congo, Ivory Coast, Angola, and beyond.
The African Concert Series: A celebration of the African continent through its music
19 October 2021, 6.00pm - 7.30pm
Join us for a special musical celebration with Rebeca Omordia and Leon Bosch. Professor Marius Turda and Dr Graham van Wyk host and engage in the conversation with opportunities for Q&A.
Why Black History Matters with Professor David Olusoga
20 October 2021, 6.30pm - 7.30pm
Black history month is an American import. An African-American idea brought to Britain less than 40 years ago. Yet in that time it has grown to become part of British culture, a feature of the calendar for thousands of institutions and companies. After the Windrush Scandal, the toppling of Edward Colston and the summer of Black Lives Matter what next for Black British history?
Race in Architectural Education: Decolonising the Curriculum
21 October 2021
Oxford Brookes' School of Architecture’s Place, Culture and Identity research group and Black in Architecture research unit invites architects, academics, industry professionals and students to come together for a day of seminars and a workshop on decolonising the architecture curriculum.
Celebrating Black Entrepreneurs: Their journey and wisdom in building a business
25 October 2021, 6.00pm - 7.30pm
Have you ever had a business idea and wondered what it would be like running it? Join Lettija Lee, Sherilyn Carter, and Elizabeth Solaru in a conversation about their entrepreneurial journey. Hosted by Dr Yue Ang of Oxford Brookes University.
Public lecture by Ambassador Andrew J Young - Proud to Be
28 October 2021, 6.00pm - 7.00pm
Join us for this special closing event for Black History Month 2021. We have the honour to welcome Ambassador Andrew J Young to Oxford Brookes, who shares some lessons we can learn today from the American Civil Rights movement.
Brookes Union Black History Month events
Every year, Brookes Union runs Black History Month as part of our commitment to representing black students at Brookes, decolonising the curriculum, promoting black history, culture and role models.
This year, Brookes Union Explores is running free films every Friday in the Kennedy Room.
Race Equality Week 2021
Be Ambitious and Model Excellence (BAME) Panel
2 February 2021, 6-8pm
Redefining “BAME” as we celebrate renowned black figures who dare to [B]e [A]mbitious and [M]odel [E]xcellence highlighting their goals and recognisable achievements. We will be joined by the CEO, founder, and visionary of the iconic MOBO platform Kanya King, Trevor Robinson OBE, CEO and founder of Quiet Storm, and Euton Daley MBE, CEO of Pegasus Theatre, Oxford.
An Evening with Dr Leroy Logan MBE
4 February 2021, 6-7pm
Oxford Brookes University BAME Staff Network invites you to an evening with Dr Leroy Logan, who overcame a hostile and racist environment, to become one of the UK’s most outstanding police officers.
Black History Month 2020
Kick-off celebration
2 October 2020, 6pm
Oxford Brookes University kicks off with an artistic cultural performance in collaboration with Kuumbia Nia Arts, Unlock the chains collective and Euton Daley MBE.
Black History Month Quiz
7 October 2020, 6pm
From Black inventions to Black music, it's time to put your knowledge to the test!
Be Visible, Be Confident
9 October 2020, 12pm
In 2019 Louisa founded BAME to Boardroom in order to follow her passion for working with businesses to develop Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic (BAME) talent into leadership roles; building confident, focused, high performing, and diverse teams, which in turn impact on organisational culture.
Beyond Black History Month
13 October 2020, 6pm
Beyond Black History Month aims to bridge the gap of conceptual ideas on diversifying Oxford Brookes University to providing real and definitive methods of creating actions on the following topics discussed.
Lunchtime Showcase
14 October 2020, 12pm
This year we will be sharing projects, research, initiatives and community engagement activity.
AfroFusion Dance Class
19 October 2020, 6pm
Join Zulum to learn the basic principles of African dance mixed with hip hop in this fun and energetic Afro-fusion dance class that will show you how to lengthen your body and extend your capabilities.
Making Money Work
28 October 2020, 6pm
The aim of this event is to create and enhance knowledge in personal finance using banking strategies and communicating new channels for students, staff and alumni of diverse backgrounds.
If you would like to see the programme of events for previous years, please email EDIstaff@brookes.ac.uk.