Black Hall of Fame 2019/20

Black Hall of Fame Following the 2019 Black History Month programme, The Students' Union at UWE is pleased to bring you the Hall of Fame exhibit celebrating the successes of some black students, staff and alumni of UWE Bristol. This project sets out to promote recognition and representation beyond the annual Black History Month.

This project was initiated by Precious Onyenekwu Tatah, President of The Students' Union at UWE

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Dr Abdullahi Arabo Course Studied: PhD Network Security Job Title: Senior Lecturer

Originally from Nigeria, before joining UWE Bristol Abdullahi was a Research Fellow with the University of Oxford. Abdullahi strives to integrate the latest developments and real-world projects into his teaching and is a recipient of various scholarships as a result of his work with the BME community. Some of Abdullahi’s key achievements are leading the development and certification of a new MSc Cyber Security and starting outreach activities.

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Bree Randen Course Studied: Health and Social Care Job Title: Global Development Officer

Bree is a Global Development Officer at UWE Bristol. In her role, Bree predominantly works with international students across the university, supporting them throughout their student journey and planning events to bring them together and develop friendships. She has always been passionate about helping people better their lives.

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Dr Emmanuel Adukwu Course Studied: Biomedical Science BSc (Hons); Masters by Research (MRes), PhD (Microbiology), Postgrad. Teaching Cert for HE (PGcTHE)

Photo credit: Nicole Benewaah Gehle

Job Title: Senior Lecturer and Employability Leader

Dr Emmanuel Adukwu is a Senior Lecturer and the Department Leader for Employability and Widening Participation. He is an active researcher, with interests in antimicrobial agents, resistance and public health. Emmanuel has been involved in high profile events such as Bristol Museum Fabric Africa: Stories told through textiles.

He has received several fellowships, awards, and nominations, which include the Bristol BME Powerlist (2018), and a nomination for the National Diversity award (2019).

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Professor Paul Olomolaiye Course Studied: PhD Civil Engineering Job Title: Pro Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean, UWE Bristol

A visionary leader and strategic thinker, Professor Paul Olomolaiye is renowned in his areas of academic expertise, which include productivity and performance enhancement strategies. As a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and Manufacturing and a member of the Chartered Institute of Building, Professor Olomolaiye is committed to every cause he takes up. He is a gifted creative thinker and a strategic policy developer, with a passion for futuristic vision and excellence.

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Dr Shawn Sobers Course Studied: BA (Hons) Film and Photography (USW), MA Anthropology of Media (SOAS), PhD Ethnography of Community Media Education Job Title: Associate Professor of Cultural Interdisciplinary Practice & Journalism, and convenor of the UWE Photography Research Group.

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Dr Shawn Sobers is an Associate Professor of Cultural Interdisciplinary Practice at UWE Bristol and is a trustee of Fairfield House in Bath, (the former residence of Emperor Haile Selassie).

He is a co-founder of Imperial Voice Radio, and has directed television documentaries for BBC1, ITV, Channel 4, and is a TEDx speaker.

He has written extensively about Black British history, and the representation of identity and culture in media and photography.

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Silas Adekunle Course Studied: Robotics Graduated/ing: 2014

Silas Adekunle is a Nigerian-British Engineer and Inventor. He was previously CEO of Reach Robotics, a company that he founded during his undergraduate studies and which launched the Entertainment and STEAM education platform MekaMon. MekaMon was launched globally with distributors such as Apple and Harrods. He has also launched robotics programmes in both UK and African schools, to help inspire young people and is now focused on Pan-African robotics.

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Caine T Lewin-Turner Course: BA History

Photo credit: Nicole Connaisseur

Graduated/ing: N/A

Caine Tayo Lewin-Turner studied at UWE Bristol before transferring to the University of Bristol. During his time at UWE Bristol Caine was elected as a BME Officer and created and edited a magazine by black students for Black History Month. Caine has also worked with Bristol and Brighton Museums, Historic England, DCMS, as well as working with prisons, schools, and numerous local organisations.

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Alisha Airey Course: Business Management Graduated/ing: 2012

Alisha is a BAME Project Co-ordinator in Health and Applied Sciences and has worked in Higher education for over seven years. Alisha has experience of recruiting, employing and training student mentors. She is passionate and strives for race equality in higher education.

Featured in the Bristol Black Power list, Alisha is a great believer in the power of student mentorship.

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Christelle Pellecuer Course: BA (Hons) Modern Languages and Information Systems

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Graduated/ing: 2001

Christelle Pellecuer is a makeup artist specialising in fashion and media makeup. She has worked at fashion weeks in several cities, on TV shows, music videos, magazine shoots and product launches. She also presents ‘Fashion Rendez-Vous’ on Imperial Voice Radio and has an ongoing project focusing on African queens, kings and deities, which aims to empower the younger generation to connect with their own heritage. Christelle also has a background in education and has worked in research councils and universities.

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Courtenay Welcome Course: BA Fine Art and Visual Culture Graduated/ing: 2019

Courtenay is an artist and activist who achieved a First Class BA (Hons) in Fine Art and Visual Culture. Awarded the Spike Island Fellowship 2019-2020, Courtenay has also worked as a workshop facilitator and the City Campus Project Director for UWE Black History Month 2018. She also has experience as the Exhibition Producer for Lady Lazarus (2018) and _IN_THE_WITH A_ (2018).

Their work explores the rich complexities of the biracial identity, tackling issues of race, memory, space and time through painting, installation, text and performance.

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Grace Olajide Course: Business Management and Leadership Graduated/ing: 2019

Grace studied Business Management and Leadership. During her final year, Grace worked on the Organisational Development Project, which included working with an organisation to improve employee engagement. Grace is now working for a charity, helping with their HR team and employee engagement.

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Lewis Wedlock Course: Psychology with Sociology (First Class Honours) Graduated/ing: 2019

Since graduating, Lewis has set up his own business called Pinpoint Academia, an academic personal development resource for university students. He is also the creator of Altiefe, a personal development resource for young people. Named on Bristol’s BME Powerlist, Lewis was also the winner the 2019 Ede and Ravenscroft Outstanding Personal Achievement Award.

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Mubarak Mohamud Course: BA Business Enterprise (Hons) - First Class Graduated/ing: 2013

As a Somali refugee, Mubarak uses his background in creative ways as a Senior Lecturer in Strategy at UWE Bristol. He has helped and inspired countless BME students to achieve their potential and works tirelessly in his own community to promote higher education through ground-up initiatives, ‘Mo’s Masterclasses’ and unique projects.

Outside the university campus, he is an advocate for the disadvantaged and underprivileged, and regularly champions and mentors underprivileged individuals from all walks of life. Mubarak’s also featured on the Inaugural Bristol BME Powerlist 2018.

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Patience Bird Course: Bsc (Hons) Adult Nursing Graduated/ing: 2019

And when the caterpillar thought life had ended, it became a butterfly.

Listen to your inner self and answer your calling. Don’t let them win, show them you are a winner. Red blood is in every person, no matter what colour, creed or race.

Alisha Airey and the BME Team, l salute you.

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Stacey Olika Course: Graphic Design

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Graduated/ing: 2017

Stacey is a graphic designer, creative producer and curator who has worked with the BBC, Sky and Africa Week, and has curated exhibitions at Spike Island, the Arnolfini and Bristol Museum & Art Gallery. Her work focuses on inclusivity and gaining accessibility for young creatives, especially those from a BAME background. She is the founder of ‘Agents of Change’, a programme which shines a light on under-represented and emerging creatives. Stacey also recently facilitated the new publication, ‘Conversations About Race’, which aims to bridge the gap by initiating much-needed conversations.

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Xavier Baker Course: Law (LLB) Graduated/ing: 2018

As a Law student at UWE Bristol, Xavier showed exemplary commitment to numerous pro bono projects, including leading Street Law in his second year. He has also supported the learning of others and has acted as an inspirational Student Ambassador. His philosophy embraces the development of diversity in all settings, demonstrated by his involvement with the Equity Programme as a chairman of the student committee in its pilot year. Since completing his degree, Xavier was awarded Bristol Law Society's 'Law Student of the Year Award' for 2018 and has returned to UWE Bristol as an Assistant Support Lecturer in the Law Department.

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Augusta Chidinma Nnajiofor Course: BA (Hons) Business Management with Economics Graduated/ing: 2020

Augusta is currently in her final year of Business Management with Economics. She completed a Human Resources placement year at UWE Bristol and was the 2018/2019 Vice President Community and Welfare at The Students' Union at UWE. Through her work, Augusta has shown a commitment to improving the experiences of black and minority ethnic students and providing opportunities that enable them to thrive in their chosen fields.

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Donnell Kwaku Adu-Asare Course: LLB LAW Graduated/ing: 2020

Donnell writes thought provoking poetry, which he often performs in the city of Bristol and is currently undergoing a placement at the Tobacco Factory Theatres, where he is an emerging producer.

Donnell also creates short poetry films which he posts on Instagram.

He is also involved in other creative mediums, such as printed work and film.

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Favour Oweisana Course: BSc(Hons) Biomedical Science Graduated/ing: 2020

Favour Oweisana is a goal oriented young woman who constantly immerses herself in growth opportunities. Working with NHS Blood and Transplant, Favour undertook an internship with Cancer Research and a teaching internship in China. She has worked as an assistant project lead in conjunction with Brunelcare and serves as both a Lead Department Representative and Student Ambassador. Favour is also involved in diversity and inclusivity initiatives such as the Night Shelter, The Rucksack Project and E5 Street Church.

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Mr. Osborne Adomako Course: BA (Hons) Team Entrepreneurship Graduated/ing: 2021

Osborne is a daring member of the UWE Bristol student community, currently studying a Bachelor of Arts in Team Entrepreneurship.

Representing his race in the tech industry and beyond, Osborne currently runs a tech-start up at UWE Bristol.

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Olumide (Olumedia) Osinoiki Course: BA Photography Graduated/ing: 2020

Olumide Osinoiki is a Christian artist, specialising in photography and film. He is based in Bristol and produces a variety of photographic work and video content. Olu collaborates with other creatives and organisations in the city to participate in/curate panel discussions, workshops and exhibitions. Olu has spent time working within award winning organisations and has recently been commissioned to photograph Sir David Attenborough at the 7 Worlds, 1 Planet Bristol Premiere, for both digital and printed media.

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Saharla Ismail Course: BSc Psychology with Sociology Graduated/ing: 2020

Saharla is a final year Psychology with Sociology student, who is a mental health advocate. She has completed a placement with Off the Record, where she helped BAME young people access mental health support. Saharla curated the spectacular International Women’s Week programmes two years in a row. The programmes featured events such as the Body Posi Panel and Writing Love Letters to Yourself.

She has shown dedication and commitment to equality and diversity issues.

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