University leadership as a Sabbatical Officer

Kennedy Aliu (MSc in Refugee and Forced Migration, 2022) writes

The opportunity to contribute to the first magazine spotlighting the rich experiences of Black students at Oxford emerged as a result of my election to the position of Vice-President Liberation and Equality of Oxford University Student Union. I aim to be open and honest about my journey and, in a small way, contribute to a better understanding of Black life at Oxford.

To navigate the landscape of Oxford as a Black student leader is to confront the sweeping backdrop of history and the ongoing struggles against racial inequality. When I accepted my offer to Oxford in 2022, I was deeply afraid. This fear manifested in a multitude of questions, from concerns about the scarce representation of Black and racialized students to the spectre of impostor syndrome and the nagging doubts of my acceptance as an inadvertent mistake. I became engrossed in the stories of Christian Federick Cole, the first Black student at Oxford in 1873, despite his grandfather’s history of enslavement. I was equally fascinated with the life of Kofoworola Ademola, the first Black African woman to earn a degree at Oxford in 1932. I also learned about the student movements that historically defined this institution, with the Rhodes Must Fall movement of 2015 and 2016 standing out prominently. These movements called for the removal of the Rhodes statue, and they underscored the resilience of Black African students who have called Oxford their home. The more I immersed myself in these stories, the more I had the courage to confront my own fears.

The tragic death of George Floyd in 2019 weighed upon the racial consciousness of the world. It triggered a seismic shift within educational institutions as they reckoned with the lived experiences of Black students. In my college, Green Templeton, Josephine Agyeman-Duah established one of the first Black student college societies to support Black students. This community included mentorship programs and a Black History and Anti-Racism library called the Maarifa Collection, which offered valuable resources for those interested in race, history, and the struggle for equality.

These experiences informed my work as Vice-President. My role involves advocating for equity, diversity and inclusion across the university. I represent marginalized and underrepresented student communities and bridge the gap between students and the administration, ensuring that student voices are not just heard but actively integrated into the decision-making process.

This year, I plan to advocate for Oxford colleges to become sanctuaries for refugees and those displaced by war and climate disasters. I will also work towards policies that address the needs of racialized queer communities and organize events that promote diversity and inclusion within the student body. This, I admit, is no easy task given Oxford’s decentralized structure; however, by leaning into our communities and preserving our values, I believe we can build a more inclusive Oxford— a place to call home where diversity is celebrated and Black students truly feel a sense of belonging.