Pledge to be an Ally

Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Rama Thirunamachandran

• I give respect to all regardless of race or ethnicity • To take responsibility for helping to create a positive and inclusive learning environment in which diversity is celebrated • To take positive action to prevent racial discrimination of any kind • To educate myself and others on race and racism • To stand up against racism

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Helen James

• I give respect to all regardless of race or ethnicity • To take responsibility for helping to create a positive and inclusive learning environment in which diversity is celebrated • To take positive action to prevent racial discrimination of any kind • To educate myself and others on race and racism • To stand up against racism

David Leah, Director of Finance and Chief Financial Officer and member of the University's Senior Management Team

• I give respect to all regardless of race or ethnicity • To take responsibility for helping to create a positive and inclusive learning environment in which diversity is celebrated • To take positive action to prevent racial discrimination of any kind • To educate myself and others on race and racism • To stand up against racism

Margaret Ayers, Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development and member of the University's Senior Management Team

• I give respect to all regardless of race or ethnicity • To take responsibility for helping to create a positive and inclusive learning environment in which diversity is celebrated • To take positive action to prevent racial discrimination of any kind • To educate myself and others on race and racism • To stand up against racism

Jo

I pledge to give respect to all regardless of race or ethnicity. I pledge to take responsibility for helping to create a positive and inclusive learning environment in which diversity is celebrated. I pledge to take positive action to prevent racial discrimination of any kind. I pledge to educate myself and others n race and racism. I pledge to stand up against racism.

Clare

I am attending workshops internally and with external providers relating to 'facilitating talk on race and racism in the classroom' and 'decolonising the curriculum'. I am also writing and researching on social justice and parity of treatment for marginalised groups and those experiencing racism. Ensuring students and colleagues are aware of the 'closing our gap' research is important and to consider how we can all benefit from work done to address this issue. Be an ally for students and colleagues whenever I can.

Ellie

I pledge to give respect to all regardless of race or ethnicity, taking responsibility for helping to create a positive and inclusive learning environment in which diversity is celebrated. I pledge to take positive action to prevent racial discrimination of any kind, I shall educate myself and others in race and racism and stand up against racism; calling it out whenever and whereever I see it. I promise at all times to respect individuals and to ensure that everyone has a voice and is listened to.

Katie

I pledge: to make anti-racism work a priority for both myself and the Arts and Culture team. That means embedding anti-racist work in all of our activities, conversations, and personal and professional development. It means asking the cultural organisations that we work with about their anti-racism plans. It means working with the staff and students of CCCU to create a cultural programme that really reflects the diversity of our community.

Amanda

I pledge to be an ally. I will take responsibility for helping create an inclusive culture which has learning at its heart and celebrates diversity. This means I will stand up as an anti-racist and work with colleagues to challenge the structures, processes and behaviours that are preventing us from achieving a truly inclusive work and study environment.

Dani

Myself and several colleagues from other universities are currently producing a webinar panel on the discrimination of BAME students and scholars in academia. Our initial focus is on Theology and Religious departments and if successful we will branch out to other university departments.

Maria

I pledge to give respect to all regardless of race or ethnicity. I pledge to take responsibility for helping to create a positive and inclusive learning environment in which diversity is celebrated. I pledge to take positive action to prevent racial discrimination of any kind. I pledge to educate myself and others n race and racism. I pledge to stand up against racism.

Katja

I pledge to be an ally. As part of the CCCq (Staff LGBTQ+ Network) activities we are seeking to learn about and highlight the contributions of Queer People of Colour. We are adopting the Progress Pride flag with brown and black stripes to show visible support and acknowledgement of the experiences of People of Colour within LGBTQ+ community.

Kath

Why am I pledging to be an ally? I have been committed to and involved in decolonising creative curriculums since I started teaching in 2003. Recently, I have been working to evolve our university approaches to delivering an inclusive and decolonised curriculum and close the attainment gap, which I am passionate about. Thinking about our Black students experience as they transition into and through university has been a part of that. On a personal level my pledge connects to my own learning particularly in the last few years as I have been challenged to develop by attending workshops across the UK where the focus has been on exploring how to strategically evolve approaches to improve attainment gaps. Last summer I read Reni Eddo-Lodge's book 'Why I am No Longer Talking To White People About Race( 2018) and was again personally challenged to work harder at 'chipping away against the power of structural racism' as Eddo-Lodge states when I realised my own knowledge of Black British history was wanting. I would love to meet up and support you to consider ways to develop and decolonise your curriculum to support the retention and success of all our Black students- get in touch! kath.abiker@canterbury.ac.uk

Zina

I pledge to make anti-racism work a priority for myself, my postgraduate community, and for my teaching-learning environment by fostering intellectual traits such as intellectual humility and intellectual empathy.

Melissa

I pledge to be an ally. To be active in a community that promotes equality and respect, that listens and acts, and that challenges inequalities wherever it exists. I will do everything I can, professionally and personally, to be more aware, to learn and to listen, and not make assumptions. I pledge to be an ally who stands up to racism and who works hard to promote respect and empathy.

Jo

I pledge to be an ally: I will educate myself and those around me, raising awareness and challenging inherent behaviours that lead to inequality and inclusivity. I will take responsibility for ensuring the University’s recruitment practices are reviewed to ensure they reflect an inclusive organisation that celebrates diversity.

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Allyship pledges #CCCUBH365

Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Rama Thirunamachandran

Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Rama Thirunamachandran

Closing our Gap

Black, Asian, Mixed Heritage and Minoritsed Ethnic students

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