black lives matter:
action for change

igniting and sustaining the conversation

About

Black Lives Matter: Action for Change is a student-led group, created with the purpose of educating people about the black experience on university campuses and in the UK more broadly. Our series of Action Days are small events covering various educational topics, from implicit bias training to discussion sessions on students' personal experiences with racism and discrimination.

Based at the University of Exeter, we hope to expand our reach and continue to educate university students, staff and the general public alike about the black community and stimulate discussion for further change.

resources of the month

For more extensive resources and useful links, check our masterlist here.

events

a journey to allyship

    Kelly Louise Preece reflects on her journey to allyship - what it means to be an ally, and to be actively anti-racist. Staring with her childhood in rural Devon, Preece will share her failures, moments of shame, and the importance of learning and listening to the experience of Black people.

    Register for the event below (or here on Eventbrite).

    Campaigning for Race Equality and Anti-Racism

      The Plymouth and District Racial Equality Council, established in response to rising levels of racism and hate crime in the city, discuss their campaign strategies for racial equality and justice, and facilitate discussion to encourage new approaches to the issues of racism, discrimination and inequality.

      Register for the event below (or here on Eventbrite).

      Living in a White World Whilst Black

        Tina Verhaeghe shares her journey towards understanding her role in effecting social change, especially through her career in higher education and its intersections with social justice advocacy and advancing the Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity agenda at the University of Exeter.

        Register for the event below (or here on Eventbrite).

        The Meaning of Traditional African-Caribbean Attire

          Exeter's African-Caribbean Society leads a discussion about traditional forms of African and Caribbean dress and their functions, such as Jamaican knitted hats, also known as 'tams', or headwraps worn to denote status/ethnicity/wealth, or for practical reasons of protecting hair.

          Register for the event below (or here on Eventbrite).

          The Invitation (leadership and fighting the naysayers)

            Vera A. McEwen brings you a discussion on the issues and experiences of leadership as a black individual, and how to fight back when the world says no based on the colour of your skin.

            Register for the event below (or here on Eventbrite).

            Contact

            Want to know more about what we do?
            Interested in joining the team or collaborating with us?
            Get in touch with us through email:

            📧 [email protected]

            Alternatively, find us on social media as listed below.

            everyday racism and prejudice

            decolonising the curriculum

            biases in the workplace

            media of the month

            'Black and British' is currently available on BBC iPlayer.

            black and british: a forgotten history

            Historian David Olusoga explores the enduring relationship between Britain and people whose origins lie in Africa. Olusoga discusses the pertinence of black people in British history, the institutions of slavery and war and African kings who helped shape black British identity today.

            podcast of the month

            the minority effect

            Students Hanife and Eduardo lead 'The Minority Effect', a podcast that discusses the experiences of minorities at institutions in the UK. In their first episode, released this month, they are joined by a student at the University of Oxford to explore his dealings as a Coptic Egyptian, as well as broader topics of cultural integration, religion and project creation.

            literature of the month

            girl, woman, other
            bernardine evaristo

            Winner of the British Book Awards Fiction Book of the Year 2020
            Joint Winner of the Booker Prize 2019

            Girl, Woman, Other follows the lives and struggles of twelve different characters. Mostly women, black and British, Evaristo tells the stories of their families, friends and lovers, across the country and through the decades.

            Read more about the book here, and purchase the book here.

            black lives matter
            resource masterlist

            reading materials

            • Why I’m No longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge

            • I’m Still Here by Austin Channing Brown

            • Natives by Akala

            • Dark Days by James Baldwin

            • Diversify by June Sarpong

            • How To Be Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

            • Don’t Touch My Hair by Emma Dabiri

            • White Supremacy and Me by Layla F. Saad

            • The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander

            • Freedom Is A Constant Struggle by Angela Davis

            • They Can’t Kill Us All by Wesley Lowery

            • Your Silence Will Not Protect You by Audre Lorde

            • White Girls by Hilton Als

            • Brit(ish) by Afua Hirsch

            • Black and British: A Forgotten History by David Olusoga

            • The Good Immigrant, edited by Nikesh Shukla

            • Gal-dem - publication for the stories of women and non-binary people of colour.

            • Skin Deep - a space for people of colour to work towards justice in a creative capacity.

            movies, documentaries and talks to watch