My name is Zoulika Lamamra and I am the Teesside University UCU Equality Officer.
My role is to raise issues on inequality affecting members at work as well as social issues concerning the wider community.
Before going any further it might be judicious to clarify our terminology: in UCU ‘Black’ is used in its broad political and inclusive sense to describe people with a shared history who are descended, through one or both parents, from Africa, the Caribbean, Asia (the middle-East to China) and Latin America.
This term refers to those from a visible minority who have a shared experience of oppression. This is used to foster a sense of solidarity and inclusion for people who have suffered colonialism and enslavement in the past and continue to experience racism and diminished opportunities in today’s society.
The UCU effort in building an anti-racist environment has grown from strength to strength and involves a union wide approach in tackling the issues of workplace racism and its impact on careers, mental health and well-being and relationships with peers/students.
Racist incidents are on the rise across the country and UCU is at the forefront of challenging and pushing back on workplace racism.
In celebration of the UN Anti-Racism Day (20/02/2021) I would like to invite all Black members to attend the Black Network Empowering Workshop scheduled to take place Friday 19th February 2021. Details below
We Stand Stronger Together!