Get to know Seyi
What made you decide to stand for election this year?
Having grown to love my identity whilst part of artsUCL I want to create a space in which others feel comfortable and able to grow and develop in.
What are your top three priorities from your manifesto?
Organise programming for highlighted months, training and creating sustainable actions.
What do you hope to achieve in the coming year?
Create a proper programme of events for Black History Month etc, continue sustainable actions to make actual safer spaces for those who feel Other-ed and integrate anti-racist and accessible training in clubs and societies.
What has been the best part of your UCL experience so far?
Cliché but must be done…the people, especially the artsUCL people as well as producing RENT as a Bloomsbury Production, a musical which centres the QTIBIPOC experience.
Your advice to new students?
Everyone is in the same boat, everyone is just out there trying to make friends and survive student life – remember that in the ways that you treat people…you’ll give and therefore receive good vibes!
Priorities and Projects
- 1. Creating a clear varied programme for awareness/history months
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Clear programmes of various activities are established
Work alongside liberation officers and student officers to get more supportIN PROGRESS
- 25/11/22: Successfully organised and oversaw Black History Month events such as an exhibition, panel discussions, artsUCL and TeamUCL events.
- 25/11/22: Currently organised Disability History Month activities, taking place now involving talks, coffee afternoon and crafternoon. Each network ran an event for BHM and have planned events for DHM.
- 27/01/23: Currently organising LGBTQ+ History Month and Womens History Month activities, involving talks, socials, coffee afternoons, crafting and a makers market.
- 10/03/23: Successful range of activities took place during LGBT+ History Month, big effort put in between societies and network collabs. Women’s history month programme in development, to date successful IWD sports night at Mullys and Scala
- 2. Work with Liberation Officers on their priorities and activities
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Supporting part-time officers' priorities and pursuing them when they are busy due to studies
IN PROGRESS
- 25/11/22: Excellent engagement and relationship with student officers and regular check-ins
- 27/01/23: Regular check-ins
- 10/03/23: Checked in with student officers, working on support for networks in reference to marketing/digital presence as well as finances set up and transparency.
- 10/03/23: BME officer officially changed to POC Officer for this leadership race
- 3. Work with Societies & Media team to develop more inclusive practical training for clubs and socs
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Aid Clubs and societies to make their activities more inclusive through audio and visual means
NOT STARTED
- 4. Host regular spaces which are safe for students to talk
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Create a casual safe space for students to talk about their experiences
IN PROGRESS
- 25/11/22: I held a successful one for Black Students and will be holding space for Disabled Community at the end of this term
- 27/01/23: Will be holding one in Feb for LGBTQ+ community and in March for Women
- 5. Leading on developing an equity and inclusion strategy for the union
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Work with Policy and Research Team to gain more insight into what matters to students around EDI
Develop a new strategy and action planIN PROGRESS
- 25/11/22: I am working with the Policy and Research Team to gain more insight into what matters to students around EDI. I have begun conversations with Dani, prioritisation of strategy chosen, and short- and long-term plans are being drawn up.
- 27/01/23: Working with policy team to discuss how research and insight can inform my priorities
- 27/01/23: EIU forum – have held two successfully, bringing together various teams in the SU to discuss how to shift our culture to be better inclusive and informative. Monthly updates have been received well.
- 27/01/23: Working closer and having more regular contact with UCL EDI team, with the aim of establishing a stronger relationship, something which was lacking in term one
- 10/03/23: Successfully held 3, agenda points now including TeamUCL, with aim to expand to other departments to have a regular spot to talk about their EDI efforts monthly.
- 10/03/23: Collabed on a paper taken to EDI committee about events held at UCL and their effect on wider UCL community as a result – will be taken into account as UCL are adapting external speakers rules and regs
- 10/03/23: Gender expression fund going well, extra 5k from within the Union has been allocated to it.