Geography students of colour band together amidst a diversity crisis

Описание: My name is Lillie and I am a passionate ecological storyteller. I love the environment and engaging marginalised people. During my time at university, I have given an International Women’s Day panel on climate justice, created two multimedia science communication platforms, facilitated eco-feminist campaigns and events for the Women+ Forum, and lots more.

I've also been part of LEC Minorities, a community of final-year students studying Geography, Ecology and Conservation at Lancaster Environment Centre. We went to uni throughout the pandemic and spent our first year mostly quarantined and isolated. We're all people of colour (and/or LGBT), on a predominantly white and heterosexual course. Sometimes we have been made to feel as though the environment isn't 'for us', or we have stood out and felt isolated on our degree. But we have banded together and called ourselves the 'LEC Minorities', creating a new group of nature lovers. We want to be role models for the next generation of environmental students as well as young people of colour interested in the environment. We have a unique perspective and want to celebrate this joy and community we have found in a difficult three years.

Here we are, Andrea Asare, Laiybah Ibrahim, Amrin Golam and me – Lillie Aissa.

-

This story is part of Slow Ways's Tales from a Slow Way series. Each Tales award includes a contribution to an organisation as well as a project fee to the creators. LEC Minorities' project donation went to Black Geographers. The series was funded by the Pilgrim Trust www.thepilgrimtrust.org.uk