Our School is a community of people from many different backgrounds, which makes it an inspiring place to learn and work. Members are respected for who they are, and the culture they come from doesn’t matter. So, in a sense, it is weird to spotlight some groups over others. Rather than make a big deal, let’s keep being kind and supporting each other no matter what their background. It’s the small things that matter.

Nevertheless, it is Black History Month! Let’s celebrate the diversity we have, which plays a vital role in our School, including the many other cultural influences in the UK. This is an opportunity to pause and reflect on the priviledges we enjoy as students and staff in the School of Informatics. To see that this is not automatic, you may want to learn more about various people’s experiences or take action. Additionally, the University is holding various events you could attend.

Events:

• University of Edinburgh Black History Month events.
• Edinburgh Race Equality Network event “What do Black rights and reparations look like?”

Actions:

• Do your bit to make computer science fairer.
• Unbias and decolonise our curriculum.
• Donate your time or money to the Turing Trust.
• Take a course Understanding Race and Colonialism.
• Join the Edinburgh Race Equality Network network.
• If you’re a staff member, you can use your free Day to Make a Difference to volunteer for a charity, organisation, or good cause.

Reading lists:

• Anti-racist CS education reading list.
• Mathematics antiracist reading list.

Books:

• Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism by Safiya Umoja Noble.
• Race After Technology by Ruha Benjamin.
• Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly, also adapted as a movie.

Black History Month / School of Informatics People and Culture by blogadmin is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0