{"id":11858,"date":"2023-11-09T11:27:58","date_gmt":"2023-11-09T11:27:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.reading.ac.uk\/connected\/?p=11858"},"modified":"2023-11-09T15:36:49","modified_gmt":"2023-11-09T15:36:49","slug":"more-than-just-a-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.reading.ac.uk\/connected\/2023\/11\/09\/more-than-just-a-month\/","title":{"rendered":"More Than Just A Month"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

CONNECTED speaks to Reading graduate and Co-Chair of the University of Reading BAME+ Allies staff network, Aleiah Potter, about Black History Month being a starting point for ongoing action and the importance of safe spaces and dedicated platforms for unheard voices.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Every October is Black History Month \u2013 a time to celebrate the history, achievements and contributions of Black people across our communities. This year\u2019s theme – \u2018Saluting our Sisters\u2019 – acknowledged and highlighted Black women who have had their contributions ignored, ideas appropriated, and voices silenced throughout history.<\/p>\n

\"Aleiah<\/p>\n

For the <\/span>BAME+ Allies (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) staff network<\/a>, Black History Month is an important annual moment that not only represents those who are Black in the community, but also brings to the forefront discussions around racial inequity and provides an opportunity to discuss equality building. Co-Chair of the network and University of Reading Head of Events, Aleiah Potter, said:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we\u2019re hoping to do within the network is activate some ally-ship and provide some educational tools \u2013 which national and international observations like Black History Month help with.\u201d<\/p>\n

Something for everyone<\/strong><\/h4>\n

As one of the newer networks at the University – founded in 2020, and impacted heavily by lockdown – 2023 has been pivotal for building support for the network and providing Black History Month events which haven\u2019t been possible in previous years.<\/p>\n

Aleiah said: \u201cThis year we created a rich and diverse range of events. We\u2019ve worked hard to raise awareness, drive support and secure allocated and dedicated resources to help build on an ever-growing programme. This year-on-year commitment has formed the largest collective and collaborative schedule of events and activities we\u2019ve had to date. We\u2019re really proud of it.<\/p>\n

\"Saluting<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me \u2013 it was important that there was something for everybody; whether it was a film screening,\u00a0a book you can read in your own time, a lecture, or just a drop-in caf\u00e9 session where you can meet different people. We hope the range of events generated awareness and action and ignited some advocacy in everyone. And hopefully that goes beyond just October.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThis year\u2019s programme involved the Reading Students\u2019 Union, local community groups, the BAME+ Allies and some of our University Schools and Departments. We also have a range of relationships with other University staff networks and external organisations such as Royal Berkshire Hospital and Thames Water. We want to collaborate and build a wider connection outside of the University to help serve our communities better but also to help solve shared problems together.\u201d<\/p>\n

While October provides an opportunity to highlight the untold histories and unheard voices of Black people across the UK and globally, the network hopes that it is just the starting point for future work.<\/p>\n

Aleiah said: \u201cWe try to make sure that Black History Month has a dedicated and annual footing to live up to our social values as a University, but the next step is making sure that activism is awake throughout the whole year.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the main messages we try to send out from the initiatives, coverage, and events we run is the ethos that Black History Month is more than just a month.\u201d<\/p>\n

A safe space<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Providing a space for marginalised voices is a priority all year round. Aleiah said: \u201cWe\u2019re trying to listen openly to the needs of the network, but to do that you need to be able to create a space where the underrepresented feel they can express themselves and be listened to.

For Aleiah, a stepping stone to building racial equality in the community is enabling people to feel that they can be their authentic selves at work.<\/p>\n

She said: \u201cI want people to feel like they don\u2019t have to conform to exclusionary behaviours that surround them because they fear being singled out for it. Unfortunately this is still an everyday experience for a lot of people.\u201d<\/p>\n

And she understands herself what it can feel like to be singled out. Aleiah explained:<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m M\u0101<\/span>ori. I\u2019m from a tiny indigenous culture. I\u2019m also a migrant. I don\u2019t have many people who I can connect with who understand my heritage, its intricacies and histories, specifically here in the UK. When I was younger I was teased because of my accent, so I changed it, which is why I now have a strong British Southern accent. I now feel like I\u2019ve lost part of myself because I don\u2019t have my accent, but it was mainly because of bullying and my experiences of exclusionary behaviours as a child.<\/p>\n

\u201cDuring my time working at the University of Reading I had the opportunity to go on the Stellar HE course which was transformative for me \u2013 they don\u2019t run it anymore but they do run the Diversifying Leadership course which is similar and supports BAME colleagues.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cAlthough it was painful to relive my experiences, it was also quite liberating. I came out of the course with a real understanding of how my traumas have affected me, my career and my school-life. This course kickstarted my desire to be part of the BAME+ Allies network, and to share my lived experience and migration.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u201cThrough the BAME+ Allies network I hope to help advocate for others, I don\u2019t want others to feel that they have to change their accents, act differently, or bring different foods in at lunchtime simply to conform and protect themselves from microaggressions. And, if they feel like they do, then I\u2019d like for the network to be a safe space they can come to and where people will support them.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, supporting those in the BAME community isn\u2019t just the responsibility of the network. Aleiah said:<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s our collective role, everywhere, to educate ourselves on how these experiences can happen and how they can affect people. Everyone needs to notice these events and, to go further than that, standing up in those moments for those who may be systemically overlooked or excluded, mainly because of their race, heritage or background.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cAnd how can we start doing things in our everyday lives going forward?\u201d<\/p>\n

Moving forward<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Aleiah plans to continue building on the successes of the network. She said: <\/strong>\u201cWe\u2019ll keep responding to the needs of our BAME colleagues and students, and wherever possible build more intersectional opportunities, and progressive training programmes for allies and advocates.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlly-ship is an active role and relies on our supporters doing some of their own learning. That can include reading a book, listening to a podcast, watching a TED Talk, or coming to an event. It\u2019s important to be open to learning about privileges but being wary of leaning on BAME friends and colleagues to help you through the journey to anti-racism.<\/p>\n

\n

“It can be difficult but we need to have conversations about race and we\u2019ve got to learn to sit in the uncomfortable space of it all, so that we can help everyone to live free from discrimination.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The network also plans to launch a new mentorship scheme in January 2024 which will pair up mentors and mentees, who can provide tailored BAME connections, stories and advice. The aim is to provide BAME colleagues with better support from advocates and those who understand lived experiences, racial harassment, and exclusionary behaviours.<\/p>\n

Aleiah explained: \u201cOne of the biggest things that comes up in the network, and which also surfaced in the University\u2019s Race Equality Review, is around career progression and career development.\u201d<\/p>\n

The network has been running successful career progression talks consecutively for two years now. Aleiah said: \u201cWe try to make sure there\u2019s a range of speakers from academics to various professional services, with a balance of gender, race and heritage.<\/p>\n

\u201cSpeakers are mainly people from the BAME community but some are our really active allies and white counterparts who have got involved in supporting us.\u201d<\/p>\n

The mentorship scheme plans to support the wider community as well as those within the BAME network. If you would be interested in volunteering your time as a mentor or would like to provide a talk for the BAME network careers progression series please contact bame.network@reading.ac.uk<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

CONNECTED speaks to Reading graduate and Co-Chair of the University of Reading BAME+ Allies staff network, Aleiah Potter, about Black History Month being a starting point for ongoing action and the importance of safe spaces and dedicated platforms for unheard voices.\u00a0 Every October is Black History Month \u2013 a time to celebrate the history, achievements […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":225,"featured_media":11635,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false},"categories":[5],"tags":[115,34],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nMore Than Just A Month - Connected<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Graduate and Co-Chair of the University of Reading BAME staff network, Aleiah Potter, shares why Black History Month is more than just a month\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sites.reading.ac.uk\/connected\/2023\/11\/09\/more-than-just-a-month\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"More Than Just A Month - 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