Supported by the BAME Network, the University of Reading and Reading Students' Union invite community speakers to our annual flagship Black History Month event. Secure your free place and learn about local lived experiences from Reading’s Windrush Generation.

EVENT BACKGROUND

“It is not enough to just have words. Little has been done, and we need more; we need action!”

This is the powerful plea from a speaker at one of the University’s Black History Month events this October, who is set to share her story of one of the UK’s biggest immigration scandals.

Flagship Diversity & Inclusion events series

The core objective of our Flagship lectures is to provide an ongoing platform dedicated to underrepresented groups, creating a more inclusive workplace, where everyone feels they belong. The series will amplify the voices of marginalised communities and will celebrate diversity. Working closely with our local community, Reading Students' Union and our University Staff networks, we’ll invite a range of inspirational speakers to join our discussions, providing insights and expertise. We will challenge excluding behaviours and shine a light on courageous conversation. We also hope this series will contribute to the influential changes which lead on from the University’s Race Equity Report/recommendations.

Cyrilene Small-Tollafield was 11 years old when she came to the UK from Barbados in 1965. She later witnessed the impacts of the Windrush Scandal, which saw thousands of African-Caribbean people who has spent decades working in the UK wrongly denied legal rights or threatened with deportation.

“As well as celebrating Black culture, we must also remember the people who were transported across the Atlantic in slave ships. To not remember people longer ago does a disservice to them, like we have forgotten them.”

Cyrilene said: “We need to think about the fact Black History Month shouldn’t just be a celebration. There is a lot in Black history that we should not be happy about.

For more information about the 2022 theme for Black History Month Time for Change: Action Not words’ view https://www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk/  

SPEAKERS

Cyrilene Small-Tollafield

Jeffrey Hinds

Annette Levy