Let's Talk About Race and Racism

What is 'Let's Talk About Race and Racism'?

'Let's Talk About Race and Racism' is a College initiative intended to inspire new dialogues about race and racism, to learn from those dialogues, and create stronger communities in College, in the University, and beyond. 

Here you'll find links and information about talks, podcasts, and other College activity all intended to drive positive change and greater understanding of race and racism.    

A statement of our commitment

To lay out the purpose, intent and scope of 'Let's Talk About Race and Racism', we created a statement of commitment for the College.

Read our statement in full

We, the fellows, students and staff of Wolfson College Cambridge, recognise the ongoing prejudices and challenges that are faced by Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) members of our College. We also recognise the legacies of colonialism that have created the interpersonal and structural racism that continues to exist throughout academia and society at large. We pride ourselves on the diversity of our membership and we want to do more to address and tackle racism in its many guises.

As a first step, we are launching an initiative entitled ‘Let’s Talk about Race and Racism’. We have created a working group to explore positive actions that we, as a College, can take and will be holding regular meetings and events that open up dialogue about race and racism at the local, national and international levels. As a College we are committed to addressing and combatting all forms of racist aggression. 

We understand that this is a first step in moving towards a more inclusive and welcoming space for all of our members and intend this initiative to open up a conversation that will be difficult and challenging but can enact real change throughout our College community, the University of Cambridge and society at large. We urge all of our members to join in supporting this initiative and to work collectively to create a better College, and a better world, for us all.

 

Events

Date	Event/Speaker	Topic
24 Jan	Asian Film Day screening	Wadjda (Saudi Arabia)
2 Feb	Dr Peter McMurrary	Toward a Black Ecomusicology, 1853? Listening to Enslavement with Solomon Northrup
7 Feb	Asian Film Day screening	The Handmaiden (Korea)
9 Feb	Dr Aminul Hoque MBE	A Very British History: British-Bangladeshis
21 Feb	Asian Film Day screening	The White Tiger (India)
23 Feb	Dr Sascha Auerbach	"A Mild Despotism, Tempered by Sugar": the Rise of the Overseer State in Britain's Post-Slavery Empire
2 Mar	Dr Hannah Elias	Religion and the Politics of Race in 1960s London: Transnational Liberation Networks and Theologies of Resistance
7 Mar	Asian Film Day screening	Spirited Away (Japan)
10 Mar	Professor Jane Rhodes Professor Lynn Hudson	From Mississippi to Cambridge: Marie Battle Singer, Britain's first Black psychoanalyst
5 May	Dr Nicola Rollock	The Rules of Racial Standing: Race and Racism in the Era of the Public Lynching of George Floyd

"Shade in Cambridge" Podcast

Inspired by this initiative, three Wolfson students, Annoa, Raquel and Megan, created a podcast, Shade in Cambridge. In a seven-part series, they interview guests about their experiences of race and racism, and share stories, perspectives and ideas.

You can read more and listen to the episodes on the 'Shade in Cambridge' page. 

Race Equality in the University 

You can find out more about race equality at Cambridge on the University website.