This symposium aims to examine the ideas and practices of 'taking up space' by centring the intersectional experiences of students

About this Event

UK universities are founded on and continue to centre white, classist, ableist, patriarchal and heteronormative spaces, institutions and narratives. Despite the growing trend to promote diversity, inequalities remain deeply entrenched in the structure and operation of higher education. It is a timely reminder to our sector, and to our academic community, that branding ourselves as ‘diverse’ does not absolve academic institutions from the inequalities they perpetuate and does not protect our peoples from the visible and invisible marginalisations they experience.

This half-day symposium wrestles with the urgent questions pertaining to the dismantling of hegemonies and redistribution of power in UK higher education, by examining the intellectual and practical project of ‘taking up space’. Inspired by and responding to the powerful call by recent Cambridge University graduates Chelsea Kwakye and Ore Ogunbiyi in their recent and hugely successful book Taking Up Space: The Black Girl’s Manifesto for Change, this symposium centres the experiences of those students whose intersectional lived realities are constantly marginalised by universities.

The symposium will feature a keynote from Chelsea Kwakye and Ore Ogunbiyi alongside performances, panels and practical workshops that examine crucial questions and processes to dismantle hegemonies in higher education. It will consider the role of students as central to this endeavour. It is designed to be attended by university senior management, undergraduate and postgraduate students, academic faculties and professional services staff. It will be of interest to anyone who believes that the university still has the potential to be the most radical space of possibility and change in society.

The symposium is funded by Brunel University London’s Student Success Project and follows on from last year’s successful and sold-out day-symposium ‘Decentring Diversity: Practising Anti-Racism in the Global University’.

This event is free to attend.

“The realities of being a black girl in a white institution are laid bare by Chelsea Kwakye and Ore Ogunbiyi, authors of Taking Up Space: The Black Girl’s Manifesto for Change.

As a minority in a predominantly white institution, taking up space is an act of resistance, and the feeling that you constantly have to justify your existence within institutions that weren't made for you is an ongoing struggle for many people.

Recent University of Cambridge graduates Kwakye and Ogunbiyi wrote Taking Up Space as a guide and manifesto for change.

The book tackles issues of access, unrepresentative curricula, discrimination in the classroom, the problems of activism and life before and after university.

Come and join Kwakye and Ogunbiyi to discuss Taking Up Space and the realities of being a black girl in a white institution.

All are welcome to attend this free event with author Ore Ogunbiyi put on by the University of Essex Albert Sloman Library, Lakeside Theatre, and Black Students Network! Refreshments will be served at 5pm, followed by a reading from Taking Up Space: The Black Girl’s Manifesto for Change, open question time, and book signing. Tickets are free but spaces are limited so please book to guarantee your place.

“ “Taking Up Space: The Black Girl’s Manifesto for Change” details what it means to be a black girl at a white dominated university. It’s the first book from rapper Stormzy’s publishing imprint, #Merky Books, and the Booker Prize winner Bernadine Evaristo has just called it one of the best books of 2019. Join Ore Ogunbiyi, one of the book’s authors, as she takes over the iconic concept store, Alara Lagos, for an evening filled with great conversation about the book, drinks, music from DJ Sensei, and even some branded merchandise. The event will be followed with a book singing. 

This event is free but please rsvp by emailing experiences@alaralagos.com “

From the TEDxLondon Website:

Join us for the day as we turn our attention to uncover how women and non-binary and genderqueer people the world over are ‘Showing Up’, breaking out and pushing boundaries.

Whatever their focus and talent – business, technology, art, science, politics – these pioneers and their allies are joining forces in an explosion of discovery and ingenuity to drive real, meaningful change.

As part of the Global TEDxWomen events programme, TEDxLondonWomen will celebrate how these dynamic and diverse people are showing up to face challenges head on, all while empowering each other to shape the future we all want to see.

TEDxLondonWomen is an inclusive space. We are passionate and proud to reflect diversity both in our audience and on our stage.

We'll be showing up. Will you?

View the speaker lineup here.

Join us for a talk from the authors of the flagship 2019 release from #Merky Books

Blackwell's are honoured to be joined by Chelsea Kwakye and Ore Ogunbiyi, to talk about their hugely important book, Taking Up Space: The Black Girl's Manifesto for Change.

This event is free to attend, but please do register if you plan on coming by clicking the button below. The talk will be held in the Philosophy Department, which is only accessible by a short flight of stairs. For more information please contact Blackwell’s Customer Service Desk on 01865 333 623 or email events.oxford@blackwell.co.uk.

Chelsea Kwakye and her Cambridge University colleague Ore Ogunbiyi wrote Taking Up Space as a guide and a manifesto for change: tackling issues of access, unrepresentative curricula, discrimination in the classroom and the problems of activism.  The debut publication on Stormzy’s Merky Books imprint, Taking Up Space goes beyond the buzzwords of diversity and inclusion to provide a groundbreaking exploration of the problems of diversity in education. Chelsea Kwakye joins us to discuss this inspirational book.

In association with University of Sheffield Students’ Union BME Students’ Committee

Join us for an evening with Chelsea Kwakye and Ore Ogunbiyi, authors of Taking Up Space: The Black Girl’s Manifesto for Change.

They will be in conversation with Emma Dabiri, teaching fellow at SOAS, broadcaster and author of Don't Touch My Hair.

Running time: 90 minutes, no interval.

Wheelchair users and visitors who require an assistant may bring a companion free of charge. To book a free companion ticket please email guardianlive.events@theguardian.com

For more info, please visit: https://membership.theguardian.com/event/taking-up-space-the-black-girls-manifesto-for-change-66450580475