Author: c1006198

Click the image below to watch the full interview.

Steph started her health career in Newcastle hospitals, where she now has a non-executive role, guiding and advising the trust whilst in her role as the CEO of St Oswald’s Hospice. She grew up in Newcastle with her Geordie mother and Ghanaian father and has always loved living in the area. Her experiences have not been without adversity, but her bond to Newcastle is unwaveringly strong. I talked with Steph about her work, childhood, and the intersections of her identity.  

‘I felt really a little bit at sea and disconnected from the place where I was, but a really proud Geordie as well’ -Steph Edusei  

Growing up, Steph had strong influences from both her Geordie and Ghanaian heritages but saw almost no mixed-race adults and found it difficult to fully connect with her identity.  She and her siblings felt the ‘othering’ that came with the racism they experienced, which, to Steph, was  a more subtle and systemic racism that is built into society. Since Brexit this has become more explicit, she feels. This othering also came in the form of white people telling her they didn’t see her as black, but of course, that is a part of who she is and an important part of the identity she is so proud of.  

‘I am black and there’s nothing wrong with being black, it’s not a negative thing’ -Steph Edusei  

Although she did not visit Ghana as a child, Steph still connected to her Ashanti Ghanaian roots through her family. She feels that the elements of both parts of her cultural identity are very similar when it comes to community and family. This upbringing and the challenges she has experienced have helped to shape Steph’s outlook of ensuring everyone in her workplace is advocated for and protected. She wants her colleagues to be hired because they are right for the job, and that they feel welcome and to not experience any of the discrimination she faced.  

‘I say to people, “I come from a land that has its own language, its own music, its own food, and I’m also an Ashanti”… being a Geordie is everything really’ -Steph Edusei  

Steph is now a well-known figure in Newcastle for the work she does for the community, particularly at the Hospice. She is thankful for her job, her quality of life and loves the people, history and culture of the city which she calls home. She told me that the day before her interview someone had said to her that they loved her authenticity, which, having spent some time with Steph, I couldn’t with agree more. It was a pleasure and a privilege to interview Steph, an inspiring woman with an amazing story to tell. On behalf of NUREN and the regional community she supports, I would like to thank Steph for all the work she does. 

‘If it’s important for one person, then we should do something about it’ -Steph Edusei  

By Taz Nasif-Whitestone

Please click the image below to watch the full video.

Having grown up in Newcastle, Ammar describes himself as a ‘Geordie Asian’, and has spent much of working life contributing to the growth countless businesses in the region. As a member, chair, and founder of several initiatives he has supported and sought to improve the lives of thousands of people, particularly school children and businesses run by ethnically minoritised owners. I talked with Ammar about the work he does and its interconnectivity with the city he calls home.  

‘Even with the accolades and the awards that I have, and I’m very proud to have them, hasn’t sort of meant that I no longer experience racism, and I do’ -Ammar Mirza  

Ammar’s parents moved to the UK from Pakistan, and he spoke about the differences in experience between their generation and his, and the difficulties he faced as a young person. The communities formed by his parents’ generation, their culture and growing up in Newcastle have all played a part in shaping his identity. Ammar has dedicated a considerable amount of time to the continual development of inclusivity in the local area so others can have an equal opportunity regardless of their identity and background.  

‘I was almost embarrassed to be ethnic growing up, but certainly that’s changed over the years, and I’m particularly proud of both my cultural heritage, as well as the region that I was born and brought up in’ -Ammar Mirza  

Having built an extensive corporate career, Ammar’s bond to Newcastle brought him back here to grow his entrepreneurial business and give back to the place that is so important to him. With a passion for improving civic life, he continues to positively impact the socioeconomic livelihood of his community, and on behalf of NUREN and everyone he has helped I would like to thank Ammar for his commitment, time and care through the remarkable work he does.  

‘I was born here and I resonate more with the region than I do anywhere else in the world’ – Ammar Mirza  

By Taz Nasif-Whitestone

Currently based at Northumbria University, Donna Chambers describes her area of work as Critical Cultural Studies, with focus on cultural heritage in the context of tourism. The critical aspect of her research comes from the colonial and post-colonial lenses through which she analyses the tourism sector, particularly around issues of representation concerning race and class. Many of the worlds’ most popular tourist destinations have a colonial history and the way in which people, places and culture are represented in this sector are of particular interest to Donna who reflected upon how her identity is intrinsically linked to everything she does. Alongside being a researcher, Donna is a lecturer, aligning her teaching with her interest in the post-colonial experience by putting decolonisation, as well as the intersectionality between race and gender, into the context of cultural, creative and tourism industries.

“My identity’s always in everything that I’m doing and, you know, my areas of research reflect that as well, because I’m always interested in the […] black female experience.” – Professor Donna Chambers

When I met Donna, she talked about how these intersectional elements of her identity has affected her in the workplace. She touched upon how women are minoritised in many university spaces, especially in high-level positions, but is confident that there is a shift occurring. However, even though more women are in these more senior positions, there is an evident lack of racial diversity, particularly in roles such as Deputy Vice Chancellor and Vice Chancellor across universities. Even within double-marginalised groups (on the basis of race and gender), Donna has noticed that there are still inequalities, such as a lack of representation of African and Caribbean female colleagues in the universities she has worked in. Many of the staff spaces Donna tends to inhabit are white-dominated and she is often the only black woman in the room and even among students, there is still a lack of representation of non-international African and Caribbean women.

“It’s really difficult to have a voice as a black woman within academia and I think that is because of that double silencing of being a woman and also being a black woman.” -Professor Donna Chambers

Alongside colleagues from other universities across the country, Donna is a part of a four year Office for Students (OfS) initiative called Generation Delta, laying the foundations for supporting ethnically minoritised women who are undergraduate and postgraduate students. The focus of their work is to help these students getting on to postgraduate research programmes, supporting them throughout their programme, and career guidance afterwards. The dedicated team of professors leading and teaching in this project are all women of colour who aim to inspire others to follow in their career footsteps, showing them that it is a space they belong in, too. Lecturers are often the face of a university, and it is important that all those faces are different, showing that everyone has something to contribute, regardless of their background, and can diversify these spaces. This intersectional element of Donna’s identity has also driven her non-professional work, where she has engaged with community organisations that reflect the African and Caribbean experience. One of the organisations she a member of is the North East of England Community Association (NEEACA) and it has let her connect with people from the African Caribbean diaspora in the North East.

“I’m always involved in promoting EDI in the universities that I work with.” -Professor Donna Chambers

It was wonderful to witness Donna’s pride in who she is, and she puts her identity at the forefront of everything she does, keeping the conversation around racial and gender-based injustice going in the spaces she inhabits. As an advocate for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in her research, she also is involved in EDI work at Northumbria University, having recently taken up the role of EDI Director in her department.

Focusing more on her experiences of living in the North East, Donna explained that, of the 24 years since she moved to the UK from Jamaica to study, she has spent ten of those in various cities in this region to pursue her career. Having worked at universities in all of them, she has come to get to know Sunderland, Durham and Newcastle well and noted the lack of racial diversity, particularly when she first moved to the area, with the majority of the ethnically minoritised people she came across in Durham being Asian international students. Over the last ten years, especially in Newcastle and Sunderland, Donna has seen a shift in the diversity of people living there, with an increasing number of African and Caribbean people being a part of the community.

“I couldn’t find anybody to do my hair and I just thought, ‘I’m just going to cut it off’. So that’s what I did.” -Professor Donna Chambers

Unfortunately, when Donna first came to the region, there were very few businesses catering to the needs of those from the ethnically minoritised backgrounds. Not only is the availability of these services important in sharing and understanding different cultures but is important in allowing people with different needs to be settled into a community, especially if they have migrated to the area. Over time, Donna has seen more locally-owed business filling this gap particularly in the sense of culinary and beauty services. The growth of these services has allowed her to feel more connected to the North East as a place to live, as have the connections she has made with the communities she is a part of and the people around her. However, for Donna, Jamaica will always be ‘home’.

“[Jamaica] to me is where my spiritual home is… I live [in the North East], but I wouldn’t say it’s my home.” -Professor Donna Chambers

“I’m connected and I contribute as much as I possibly can to this community because I want it to be a place where people will feel comfortable.” – Professor Donna Chambers

Being actively involved in the African and Caribbean communities in the North East is of great importance to Donna as a way to support other people. Particularly with her own experience of migrating to the UK, she is able to help and understand those in similar positions. It can be difficult to find your place in a new area when you have had a different experience elsewhere. Each experience is individual, but new places become part of your life and Donna has showcased that, even when a place doesn’t feel like a forever home, the commitments and connections you make in that environment can help you to find your place.

It was my pleasure to interview Donna, and, on behalf of NUREN, we would like to thank Donna for her continued support of and dedication to the diverse communities of the North East and all the work she does to make this region feel more like a home for those her around her.

By Taz Nasif-Whitestone

Please click the image below to watch the full video.

Dr Hari Shukla moved to Britain in the 1970s from Kenya and has since spent most of that time in Newcastle, where he has raised his family, including his son Nitin Shukla. I spoke to them both about the work they do, their experience of living in Newcastle, and why it’s a place they call home.  

‘Parents have a responsibility making sure that their children develop confidence and participate in the life of the community’ -Dr Hari Shukla 

They have, and continue to, contribute immensely to the community, with Hari becoming the director of the Tyne and Wear Racial Equality Council in 1974 and Nitin leading on EDI in the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Northumbria since 2014, among other work. They have helped and welcomed many people in North East, dedicating their time to creating equal access for everyone. 

‘Every human being is important, and every human being has something to contribute to life… but it is up to us to give them the opportunity’ -Dr Hari Shukla 

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‘Lots needs to happen and things need to change, but I do it in a way in which I want to work with people to make a difference to our city and our communities’ -Nitin Shukla 

They spoke about some challenging early experiences of being in Newcastle, and the changes they have seen, with a clear pride and passion for being part of the city’s large community. With their family being born and raised Geordies whilst still being strongly connected to their cultural and spiritual background, they integrate their identity into their work and the progression of Newcastle’s diversity. 

‘It shouldn’t really matter the colour of your skin or your sexuality or where you were born or where you grew up, you know, we need to have equal life chances for everybody’          -Nitin Shukla 

On behalf of NUREN and everyone they have helped in Newcastle, I would like to thank Hari and Nitin for their dedication to bettering the lives of others, the incredible work they do, and taking their time to share their stories with us.  

‘The first thing that came out from his mouth was “I didn’t fight in the war so people like you could come here, you need to go back to where you came from” and for the very first time I questioned my sense of belonging because this was home’ -Nitin Shukla 

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‘Don’t sit there and say, “it’s somebody else’s problem”… anything [that] happens in our area is our responsibility’ -Dr Hari Shukla 

by Taskeen Nasif-Whitestone (UG), EDI Intern

Join us at our new NUREN Coffee Meets 

At NUREN (Newcastle University Race Equality Network), we believe in fostering a sense of community, connection, and support among our members. With the start of the new academic year, we are thrilled to launch our ‘Coffee Meets’ events – an opportunity for NUREN members to come together, socialise, and get to know their peers in an informal and welcoming setting. 

Creating Safe and Inclusive Spaces 

Our primary goal with NUREN Coffee Meets is to create safe spaces where our members can engage with fellow colleagues and postgraduate research students, we want to create opportunities and safe spaces for our members to socialise and get to know their peers across the university.  

Who Can Join? 

All NUREN network members who identify as ethnically minoritised are invited to participate in our Coffee Meets. Additionally, we welcome allies who have joined our network to support our mission and promote inclusivity. Ally members are encouraged to join us on specific dates mentioned below. 

A Warm Welcome Awaits 

To ensure you feel right at home, members of the NUREN Leadership Team will be present at each Coffee Meet to extend a warm welcome and facilitate interactions. We are here to answer any questions, introduce you to fellow members, and make your experience as enjoyable as possible. 

Coffee on Us 

We understand that a good cup of coffee can enhance the conversational experience, which is why we are pleased to offer vouchers to subsidise drink purchases at each Coffee Meet.  

Dates for your diary 

Here are the scheduled dates and locations for our upcoming Coffee Meets: 

We look forward to seeing you at these Coffee Meets and sharing enriching conversations. It’s a fantastic opportunity to build lasting connections, exchange ideas, and strengthen the sense of belonging within our NUREN community. 

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need further information, you can contact us via: nur-ren@newastle.ac.uk. Your presence and participation are highly valued, and we can’t wait to connect with you over coffee. 

We are half-way through the month of celebrations, having had the focus days for four countries, learning about their cultures, traditions and stories from people all over the world. There are eight countries that make up the region of South Asia, so there is so much amazing culture and history for everyone to immerse themselves in and learn more about.

My name is Taz and I am interning as the Projects Assistant for Newcastle’s EDI Networks. This SAHM I volunteered to help with the SAHM organisation’s Maldives focus day information and stories alongside my sister. I moved to the UK when I was three. Growing up here whilst going back to Maldives every summer hasn’t always been easy, but I am grateful to be able to connect with my family from both countries so often. Everyone has their own way of connecting with the communities they are a part of from a local to global scale, through clothing, food, tradition, nature and other aspects significant to their identity. For me, the food and nature of the Maldives have always been important in allowing me to connect with my Maldivian identity.

This year’s theme is ‘Stories to Tell’ and, whether it’s your own or someone else’s, stories are great to listen to and share as a way of understanding other peoples’ experiences. You can find my take on this theme below.

If you are celebrating this month and looking for some ideas on how to share these celebrations with others, there are many great ways to do so:

• The SAHM website has a ‘Get Involved’ page with ways you can celebrate through their organisation.
• Share your story and your culture through writing, art, photography, cooking or any form that brings you joy!
• Educate yourself and those around you with on South Asian heritage and history.
• Join in SAHM events around the country and look out for social media updates to learn about peoples’ stories.

It’s wonderful to have a month dedicated to celebrating the diversity and history of South Asia but identity isn’t confined by time, so continue to educate, be open to and celebrate the amazing culture and history of South Asia every month!

Taz’s take on ‘Stories to Tell’

If you would like to write a blog post – please get in touch with us or leave a comment below!