Black History Month 2021 – special bulletin
Read our Black History Month bulletin and get involved through the events, activities and resources brought together and compiled by students and staff at the University of Exeter.
Black History Month Bulletin 2021
Black History Month Bulletin 2020
Black History Month 2021
Black History month is a key campaign within the University's annual calendar of events. This year, we are looking at a variety of engagement opportunities, events and sessions to allow all members of our community to learn about the origins of Black History Month and to celebrate the rich history of Black people in the UK. There will also be lots of chances to understand how all of us can use our privilege to drive change and further inclusion.
If you would like your events and activities to be included and promoted here then let us know by email.
We’re here to help, so if you’d like to discuss your ideas please do get in touch!
The Students' Guild and The Students' Union (The SU) have also organised a series of events to mark the celebrations and you can view these at
https://www.exeterguild.org/blackhistorymonth/
and
https://www.thesu.org.uk/whats_on/bhm/
- Black Heroes of Mathematics Conference 2021 - on campus watch along (Tuesday 5 October, 10:00-13:00 & 6 October, 13:00-15:00)
A celebration of the inspirational contributions of Black role models to the field of Mathematics and Mathematics Education. There is a balance of technical talks by internationally renowned Black speakers that provide a testimonial dimension and some detail of career paths and experience. On Campus watch alogn facilitated by PRISM Exeter.
Click here to Register for the Streatham watch along
- Black British Contributions (Wednesday 6 October 2021, 09:30 – 10:30)
with David Olusoga OBE, British-Nigerian historian, broadcaster and film-maker.
- Let's Talk About... Health Inequalities (Wednesday 6 October 2021, 12:00 – 13:00)
In the sixth session of the ‘Let’s Talk About… Series’, Haris Sultan will talk about health inequalities in the medical curriculum. He has provided a summary of the health inequalities project report and requested that attendees go over the material before the session.
Via Teams
- Cornwall Anti Racism Forum (Friday 15 October, 13:00-14:30)
For colleagues in Cornwall to talk about racism and its impacts on campus as well as in the wider community, each month covers a new resource or theme. The sessions are open to all staff and PGRs at the University of Exeter, Falmouth University, FX Plus and The Students’ Union with a focus on the Cornwall community. The next session is taking place will focus on racist hate crime and incidents as part of Hate Crime Awareness Week. Please contact r.preston@exeter.ac.uk for the Zoom invite, more information or to join the Teams site.
- Creativity is Black Joy - Film Screening at Exeter Phoenix (Tuesday 12 October, 13:00-14:00)
A curation of short films from multiple genres from some of the most exciting black filmmakers in the region will play before a screening of The Elephant in The Room by Beyond Face.
The Elephant in the Room isn’t a story about a ship, or a journey to another land. This is a story about today and 6 characters who are still experiencing the impact of our colonial history, in cities that have only just begun to speak about their complex past.
Throughout the film, these characters are met with denial, reluctance, avoidance, ignorance and ultimately silence, as they figure out how to be seen and heard in a system that was never built for them.
- Black Joy IS Black History - Beyond Face Scratch Night + Panel Discussion at Exeter Phoenix (Thursday 14 October, 13:00-14:00)
An evening of live performance featuring poetry, spoken word and theatre performance from black artists from across the region with a focus on the joy of creativity. It will also feature performances from 2 commissioned artists who bring new early-stage work in response to the question “What does Black History month mean in 2021?” Then join us later for our panel discussion where we unpack what black history month means to our panellists and what it could & should look like in 2021 and beyond.
- Special Schools Event: Kenyan Youth Theatre Project (Friday 15 October, 13:00-14:00)
Access via Zoom Link
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In Conversation with Sophia Thakur (Monday 18 October, 17:30-18:30)
Vogue Woman of the Year, best selling author of 'Somebody Give This Heart a Pen', and multi-award-winning performance poet Sophia Thakur is joining us for Black History Month 2021 to inspire us with her powerful messages on mental health, diversity, politics, self-expression, empowerment, and wellbeing at the Northcote Theatre. Brought to you by Exeter Students' Guild and the Provost Commission.
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Reimagining Statues: An Exploration of the responses to problematic Colonial statues (Monday 18 October, 17:00-18:00)
Via Zoom Link
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From Allyship to Solidarity: Moving Forwards an Inclusive Culture and Languages (Wednesday 20 October, 13:00 - 14:00)
Join Dr Muna Abdi as she looks at why it is important to create an inclusive culture and language, looking at the concepts of privilege and allyship, and why there is a need to move beyond this towards solidarity. And Dr Muna Abdi is the Founder and Director of MA Education Consultancy CIC. Dr Abdi holds a PhD in Education and has over 10 years’ experience in education, research and community engagement.
- Putting the Black into British History: New Perspectives' (Wednesday 20 October, 13:00-14:00)
Join Dr Angelina Osborne as she explores the African and Caribbean presence in the history of the UK from the Roman era to the present, with a focus on the South West of England, demonstrating that Black history is British history, and whether one is talking about one or the other, Britain is always at the centre.
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(External) Devon Development Centre Listening to History: A talk exploring diversity in Tiverton's history from early medieval origins to later visitors and settlers (Wednesday 20 October, 19:00 - 20:30)
The project team will share a collection of stories from different periods, using the Tiverton Museum of Mid Devon Life archives to illustrate the wide range of people who have travelled to Tiverton from places such as the Americas and Indies Slovenia, Italy, Vietnam, Kenya and Hong Kong.
Email dde@globalcentredevon.org.uk for further details
- Recognizing & Acknowledging Racial Trauma (Thursday 21 October, 13:00-14:00)
Dean Harvey, who has led on Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic mental health and community development in Cornwall for 15 years, will share his expertise and insights gained from personal experience in recognising and acknowledging racial trauma.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 934 6152 0799
Password: 431672
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Afropean Theology - Proud to be a Nigerian/British Woman (Thursday 21 October, 17:00-18:00)
Via Zoom Link
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BIPOC Society - What does it mean to be a non-black POC ally? (Sunday 24 October, 16:00)
The event aims to provide a guide for non-Black POCs on how they can be active allies in being anti-racist and in recognizing their unconscious bias. The event will consist of a half hour talk by two committee members and then we will be opening up a chance for discussion for the next 30 minutes. Topics covered will include: What is Black Lives Matter? Why is it important for members of non-black communities to be actively anti-racist? Racism as the root of personal biases We are hoping that we can have your members attend and engage in discussions pertaining to the above mentioned topics.
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'Entrepreneurship for and by Black People' with Rachael Twumasi-Cors, co-founder of Afrocenchix (Tuesday 26 October, 17:00-18:00)
Via Zoom Link
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Celebrating Black History Month - Virtual Alumni Panel Event (Wednesday 27th October, 17:30 – 18:45)
This event brings together an exciting panel of black University of Exeter staff and alumni, focusing on the career successes and challenges they have faced. Each panellist will speak about their career path, what strengths they have found in their diversity, and what Black History Month means to each of them. After each panellist has spoken there will be a discussion chaired by Marion Ojua, the Vice President Liberation and Equality for the Students’ Guild, and time for Q&A.
Don't miss out on the opportunity to ask them anything you might want to know about their careers - their experiences could help inform your own career decisions! Whether you are in the early stages of your studies or have already graduated, this could be the event to help you make those next steps in your career planning.
This event is open to all students and graduates. Panellists include:
- Tina Verhaeghe – Inclusive Educator Project Co-ordinator and Race and Ethnicity Consultant, University of Exeter (BA Accounting & Finance 2011)
- Bryan Knight – Journalist and Oral Historian (BA History 2020)
- Cameron Taylor – Student Communications Assistant, University of Exeter (BA History 2019)
If you have any questions about the event or are having problems booking on, please email gradrec@exeter.ac.uk.
- Cross Cultural Leadership: Back to the Future Workshop (27th October 13:00 - 14:00)
The pandemic has pushed the EDI agenda for many organisations to the fore, making the values of Diversity, Inclusion, Cohesion and Equity (DICE) and anti-racist practice priorities for HR and people managers. In her workshop, Cross Cultural Leadership - Back to the future, Inclusion specialist Katie Donovan-Adekanmbi will help attendees reflect on how bias permeates in the workplace, focusing on DICE values and cross-cultural leadership and how we can go about building genuinely cohesive communities.
- Being Black At Exeter CMH (Wednesday 27th October 16:00 - 17:00)
Fireside chat with CMH undergraduate students Roseanne Offiah, Odera Dim, Otiti Oboh, Larai Bowers, led by Musa Daggash, Year 3 Neuroscience student.
- BME Network Social (Friday 29th October, 13:00)
Black and Minority Ethnic Staff, Student and Allies network welcome all to our lunchtime social get together on Thursday 29 October at 1pm. Please email BMEStaffNetwork@exeter.ac.uk for an invite. or Join our Teams site by filling in this form.
- The Body Remembers - Heather Agyepong (External) (Exeter Phoenix - Friday 9th November, 19:30)
Heather Agyepong's powerful new solo performance The Body Remembers explores how trauma lives in the body, particularly for Black British women across different generations. Through a unique and compelling relationship between the audience and artist, it creates a collective cathartic experience.