Warwick Women: Black Women’s Project

In honour of this year’s International Women’s Week, we spoke to some of Warwick’s most inspirational women. Two such women are Nancy Osarumwense Uwadiae and Joy-Lotachi Atuanya, co-presidents of the Black Women’s Project (BWP). The society was only founded recently, and their goal is to help young black girls at university achieve their potential. When we spoke to them, they were also working on their first conference, ‘The Discovery’, which was to feature influential black women from all around the UK.

In your own words, can you tell us what is the Black Women’s Project?

We are a sisterhood that helps complement the educational experiences of black girls by contributing to their development throughout their educational careers and beyond.

What has been the most challenging thing about running BWP?

This was our first official year as a recognised society in Warwick, therefore, we experienced some difficulties trying to reach a larger scale. However, with constant promotion, we have increased our members significantly by reaching out to black girls in the university.

What does BWP do to make campus a better and safer space for women of colour?

We are aiming to become a familiar point of reference for women of colour when university feels like a foreign place. Through mechanisms such as the Big Sis/Lil sis program, we have provided a helping hand and mentor for all our members to turn to, to deal with any problems they may be facing, whether it be academically or socially. Another example would be our termly seminars and sleepovers. We discuss topics ranging from coping mechanism and navigating yourself in predominantly white spaces to friendships and personalities. This created a safe space for us to encourage our girls to speak up about what difficulties they face, how to deal with it and remind them of our support system fostered through sisterhood.

What has been your proudest achievement as a member of BWP? 

Soluchi Ozomah, event co-ordinator: My proudest achievement as a member of the BWP was when we held our mental health talk last session. I was moved by the sense of togetherness that was incorporated in the event as girls from different degrees and walks of life shared their experiences and answered questions to do with mental health and wellbeing. Hearing feedback from members of the audience made me feel very proud, as many said they had been positively affected by the event and had even adopted some tips to help them cope with whatever it is they were struggling with.

What are the biggest challenges black women face on campus? Personally, what have you found the most difficult? 

Anonymous BWP member: As black women, I think we face many problems. A friend in my year had an incident in her flat with some bananas and being called a monkey. I think it was a copycat because before coming to Warwick I saw a similar story in the news. It’s disheartening that it could happen more than once.

My flatmates have always been lovely, but I know that some people’s flatmates have made them feel uncomfortable eating their traditional cultural foods by belittling them. Other houses have even tried to ban food from other cultures because they don’t like the aroma. Everyone feels homesick sometimes, and those feelings are only amplified if you can’t eat your favourite meal from home without being interrogated.

One of the toughest issues we face as black women are microaggressions. These are hard to pinpoint – and they can make you feel like you’re going mad or being dramatic. I remember once on a coach trip to a rave, a girl shouting really loudly at me that I looked like Beyoncé and calling me fierce throughout the journey. I look nothing like Beyoncé- and I think the only reason she said it was because I was black. I asked her to stop, but she didn’t.

Close friends of mine have said that people have justified never saying hello to them around campus because all black girls have braids and look the same. A lot of people have called me fierce or sassy and I know they probably mean no harm, but it’s a lazy racial stereotype and it’s annoying. Stereotypes about black women can be problematic in places generally seen as fun for everyone on campus.

Ultimately, what changes would you like to see on campus? 

Wuru Oyedeji, welfare officer: The mental, physical and spiritual well-being of black women is very vital within any university space. I would like for universities in general to incorporate this but more specifically the mental wellbeing of black women. Within the therapy sessions and spaces provided on campus black women’s struggles and anxieties are conventionally overlooked and/or minimised. A change that would effectively combat this problem is for an increase in the recruitment of black female therapists and a vigorous training of non-BME therapists in understanding the plights of BME students, specifically black women and providing safe spaces for them during therapy sessions.

What woman inspires you the most? Why?

Joy Lotachi Atuanya, co-president: I would like to say my mother, but for the purposes of this interview, I would say all black women inspire me. Our ability to navigate spaces which openly disregard our existence is something I admire most about us. Our resilience. Our fire. Our courage. Being a black woman based in a western society (especially) is one of the most challenging experiences… but we persevere, and we do it with such grace.