An award-winning campaigner and leading light in the Black Lives Matter movement has become Bradford College Student Union’s President.
Marvina Newton is the union’s first black female president. She said: “I hope to increase marginalised and disadvantaged students’ participation by raising awareness of inequalities that affect their pathway to succeed in education.”
Marvina is the Founder and CEO of Angel of Youths. This organisation challenges inequalities by empowering young people 12+ to have a voice and influence in their community. Marvina is also founder of My Queer Culture, which places BAME LGBT people at the front of the gay scene; co-founder of Black Lives Matter Leeds; founder of United for Black Lives and Founding Executive Director of Black Allies Network. In addition, she has been involved in campaigning to fight racism for almost 10 years.
Marvina has years of experience of creating national and international youth, community and environmental development programmes. She said: “With your voices behind me, I can use the knowledge I have gained of the workings on challenging inequalities to best represent and implement your ideas.”
As part of Black History Month in October 2020, Marvina led a powerful virtual event in which she spoke to staff and students about the history of the Black Lives Matter movement. She described why this movement is vital, what it was like leading the movement on the ground in the UK, and the types of racism and aggressions black people face daily. The message “Black Lives Matter!” was called by staff and students throughout this event.
She also urged everyone taking part in the online session to use their unique skills to share the message and promote racial quality and social justice. Marvina told the audience: “If you want to make a change, we can do this together.
“All I’m asking you to do is just be kind. Be a good human being.
“Black Lives Matter because it simply does. It doesn’t mean anyone else’s life matters any less.”
Her voice has been heard not only across West Yorkshire but the entire country. On 2 January this year. Marvina took part in BBC Radio 4’s show When Katty Met Carlos. The programme featured the co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement, Opal Tometi, discussing the roots of the organisation, its goals and priorities for 2021.
Following an election campaign held in late 2020, Amy Alinson and Suliman Rashad are now Equality, Diversity and Inclusion officers for the Student Union.
The newly-chosen Education and Welfare Officers are Michael Steele (Further Education) and Sura Al-Ani (Higher Education).
You can find out more about the newly elected officers at www.bradfordcollegesu.co.uk
