Global Black Freedom Movements (GBFM) Network

by | Nov 5, 2019 | Engagement and outreach, Equality and Diversity, History | 0 comments

Members of the Race, Roots & Resistance Collective (R3) launched this Network in September to bring together leading scholars C20th Global black freedom movements. Funding from the Social Responsibility and Cultural Engagement Scheme was targeted at expanding the Network’s membership, advancing individual and collaborative research projects, and establishing the partnerships integral to the impact arm of an AHRC/ESRC grant. Through this larger AHRC/ESRC grant bid, Network members hope to: (1) develop partnerships with educators in Widening Participation (WP) schools to co-produce curricula for Key Stages 3 and 4; (2) promote curricula interventions in HE with significant service-learning and engagement activities designed to create socially responsible graduates; and (3) develop strategic alliances with heritage sector professionals to co-produce curricula and public exhibitions. Funding from this grant facilitated three (3) knowledge exchange and capacity-building Network meetings in preparation for the development of the AHRC/ESRC grant proposal.

The first Network meeting was a BAME Heritage Sector Knowledge Exchange Day held at the Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Race Relations Centre (AIU) in Manchester on January 31, 2019. Representatives were invited from archives and other heritage institutions focused on Black and Asian experiences in the Midlands and Northwest including, Dr Kennetta Hammond Perry (Dir., Stephen Lawrence Research Centre, DeMontfort University), Roshni Khunti (Dir., Serendipity, Leicester), Dr. Claire Fox (Academic Director, AIU), Laura Briggs (Library Manager, AIU), Catherine Millan (WP Coordinator, AIU), Hannah Niblett (Collections Access Officer, AIU), Jo Robson (Archivist, AIU), and Jennifer Vickers (Community Engagement Manager, AIU). This Network meeting presented an opportunity to scope potential collaborative activities as well as facilitated much needed cross-institutional dialogue about the aims, approaches, and challenges confronting heritage sector professionals working in this sector.

Our second Network meeting was an BAME Educational Policy, Curriculum, and WP Knowledge Exchange and was held at the Stephen Lawrence Research Centre (SLRC) in Leicester on February 11, 2019. This meeting Network researchers to learn more about innovative BAME history curricula and programmatic interventions currently taking place in the UK education system. Accordingly, we solicited presentations from Dr Malachi McIntosh and Sundeep Lidher (Runnymede Trust) on the ‘Our Migration Story’ project; Catherine Millan (WP Coordinator, AIU) on the Diversity Champions initiative, and Dr Hannah Elias (Academic and Digital Engagement Officer, IHR) on the Institute of Historical Research’s agenda. We also conducted a tour of the SLRC’s new facilities, museum, and exhibition space.
Our final Network meeting was a Researcher Knowledge Exchange held at the AIU Race Relations Centre in Manchester on June 25, 2019. This session was designed to allow Network researchers to critically reflect upon subsequent meetings and begin to strategize a collaborative large grant bid(s) for AY2019/20. Participants included Dr Anne-Marie Angelo (Sussex), Dr Jésus Chairez-Garza (Manchester), Dr Hannah Elias (IHR), Dr Christienna Fryar (Liverpool), Nicole Gipson (PGR, Manchester), Dr Kennetta Hammond Perry (DeMontfort), Dr Shirin Hirsch (MMU), Dr Althea Legal-Miller (Canterbury Christ-Church), Dr Kerry Pimblott (Manchester), and Dr Rob Waters (Birmingham). Network members have now begun crafting an AHRC Standard Grant (Early Career) bid which will be submitted in Spring 2020 with Dr Kerry Pimblott (Manchester) serving as PI.

External Partner(s):

Stephen Lawrence Research Centre (SLRC) in Leicester

Funding source(s):

Social Responsibility and Cultural Engagement Scheme

Project duration:

September 2018-June 2019

Project lead(s):

Dr. Kerry Pimblott

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