What is the LeicsDecolonise campaign?

LeicsDecolonise is a student-led campaign dedicated to lobbying our University to divest from companies complicit in the climate crisis & oppression, democratising our University so that power is in the hands of the broader student-staff community and confronting the ways in which our curriculum reinforce structural racism and other forms of domination. Check our Linktree out here!

 

There are two different strands of decolonising the University of Leicester. These include:

 

1. Culture

Decolonising culture means looking at the practices in the University and society. For the University it means reviewing and dismantaling processes and bureaucracy that have created barriers for students in their education. When it comes to society it means changing social norms, behaviours and decolonising the mind.

 

2. Curriculum

Work on the Curriculum entails far more than adding Black authors to a reading list, or adding modules about Africa and Asia to our syllabus. Confronting our curriculum and the way we learn may be reinforcing structural racism (and other modes of domination) and how there is a lack of much needed critical thought in our systems of education. The work in this strand will involve campaigning for learning spaces which seek to challenge, critique and compliment the mainstream white, eurocentric ways of thinking & learning. 

 

Our Work on Divestment

Divestment is the opposite of investment. It is the act of diverting funds from unethical industries such as fossil fuels, weapons firms, and those who are on the BDS list. You pay tuition fees to this university, and the university then invests that money. We do not want to be complicit in the funding practices which further exploitation and violence. Recent developments include:

• The University committed to divesting from fossil fuels following the campaign work of Plan-It Change
• In collaboration with the Social Impact and Finance team, the SU is developing a sustainability framework
• Students passed a BDS policy which the SU will now take forward to the University to encourage divestment
• Working with the Finance team to increase transparency of University investments, supported by endowment fund manager Goldman Sachs
• Working with the Careers department to ensure that organisations on the BDS list are not invited to Careers fairs so students aren't encouraged into potentially harmful career paths
• The University has produced an updated ESG (Enviromental, Social and Governance) Diagnostic with Goldman Sachs, following our request, to review its latest investments and also who they receive money from

If you have any queries, or want to chat further about divestment, email su-president@le.ac.uk

 

Five Year Plan

Nic Farmer, our Liberation Officer for 2021/23 has created a LeicsDecolonise Five Year Plan. This Five-Year Plan is intended to help and guide future Executive Officers and student activists to fight for a more inclusive university learning environment. However, it is imperative that this document stays dynamic and ever-changing as ways of thinking and expectations will change. I hope the future successors of this campaign take the reins and do what they deem to be best for the students. Check out the Five Year Plan!

Podcasts and Videos

We've started producing informative content focused around the topic of decolonisation. These videos and podcasts will feature a variety of guest speakers, including students, activists and of course the 2020/21 Officer team.

 

Episode 1 - Building a New World Podcast

 

This podcast is a discussion with Fope Olaleye (writer, activist and former NUS Black Students' Officer), Larissa Kennedy (NUS President), Taiwo Ogunyinka from the Free Black University (FBU) and your 2020/21 Liberation Officer, Tony Magaia. This episode focuses on how we can build a world free of structural oppression and violence, one where violence against Black communities is not normalised and where education is an empowering & liberating experience. We hope you enjoy the episode.

 

 

Black Trans Joy Panel

This is a panel event with T Time Podcasts, Chloe Filani, Tatenda Shameso and Koi Buckley. Facilitated by the Liberation Officer 2021/23, Nic Farmer, they will be sharing their experiences of Black trans joy and what it means to them, how they cultivate community and why radical self-care is so important!

Why Is My Curriculum White?

 

Why Is My Curriculum White is a strand of the #LeicsDecolonise campaign. Take a look at the campaign and view our new Fact Guide here.

 

If you have any questions about the campaign, please email Nic your Liberation Officer.