Page 12 - Future Leaders 2018-2019

Profiles

JANIRA BORGES, 22 RIANNA CHARLES, 21

Arts
School: King’s College London School: University of Warwick
Course: History (BA) Course: Sociology (BA)
Year: Graduated Year: Third (of four)
Grade: 2:1 Grade average: 2:1

Since 2017, Janira has served Having opted for a year studying
as a student representative for the at the University of Madrid in Spain
Diversity and Inclusion Committee for the Faculty of Arts as part of her degree, Rianna is determined to preach the
and Humanities. She represents the views of more than benefits of doing the same to other BAME students.
1000 students. A month into the role, she was challenged During her time there, she co-founded The Bean Collective
to conduct independent research, co-write a report and (‘Black Excellence Academic Network’) for current and
present her findings to senior members of staff. She proposed prospective black study-abroad students.
solutions to increase inclusivity as part of the departmental Having created a business plan and six-month forecast,
Athena SWAN (Scientific Women’s Academic Network) award she aims to secure funding to set up a mentoring initiative,
strategy for BAME students. as well as short-term international programmes to whet
As a result of her report, the committee has commissioned students’ appetites and a website and social media presence.
a full statistical study into the patterns of recruitment and “Black students are underrepresented in study years abroad,”
attainment, focussing on BAME students as a group, and she says. “But the new perspective you get from travelling,
intersecting enquiries about ethnicity with other factors. along with the language skills… it’s just such a great
Her wish to inspire young people to aspire to selective opportunity. I didn’t speak Spanish before; now I do.”
universities, regardless of background, led her to volunteer as Rianna has also set up her own YouTube channel, Riarocky,
a mentor for the educational charity Into University. in which she talks about travel, the Bean Collective, tackling
She is currently an E-mentor to seven students selected to mental health issues and other topical subjects. And last
King’s College’s K+ programme for sixth-form students. year, she was involved in the Let’s Talk Black committee,
which raises awareness about black issues and achievement.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I hope I am fulfilled both professionally and personally, Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
having travelled extensively across the world. I would like My long-term goal is to have my own platform for black
to be working on enriching, development-related projects to people, with black news. I will be building towards that, as
reform Cape Verde’s education system. well as making it my duty to mentor young women and girls.

EPHRAIM CONTEH, 19 KEZIAH
DOUDY-YEPMO, 20

School: University of Oxford
Course: Philosophy, Politics School: University of
and Economics (BA) Manchester
Year: First Course: Geography (BA)
Grade average: 2:1 Year: Second
Grade average: 2:1
Ephraim is the first pupil from his
school, Balham’s Chestnut Grove Academy, to go to Oxford As founder of online social action project, The Black
in 16 years. So he knows what a leap it can be for some state Narrative, Keziah aims to improve the representation of
school pupils, especially those from BAME backgrounds. young people by sharing their personal stories.
As junior access and outreach officer for Oxford ACS, he “I created this platform to allow young black people to share
has spearheaded several access programmes, including a their experience of blackness, to make the point that our
‘shadow day’ and the annual access conference, which took community is a very diverse and complex one.”
place at the British Library this summer. Since launching more than a year ago, the website
In year 12, Ephraim attended an Oxford ‘UNIQ’ summer blacknarrative.co.uk has had more than 5000 visits from
school which “helped me visualise myself in that place”. 36 countries and Keziah has recruited a social media and
He is volunteering at that same summer school this year. promotions officer. One spin-off has been a video project
Noting very little presence in his own area of Streatham and called ‘My Pride in My Name’, filming young people talking
Brixton, he has pushed for more outreach work there from about their names and the meanings behind them.
the university’s Vision programme for year 9-to-11 children. Keziah also recently led her university’s ACS mental health
As well as encouraging more BAME applications, Ephraim is week, securing venues and organising debates, as well as
a student ambassador for his college, hosting Q&A sessions organising a workshop exploring art as a coping mechanism.
for state school pupils and looking after applicants during After graduation, Keziah plans to study for a Master’s in
the interviews process. He already has a scholarship through International Development or International Relations.
Lloyds Banking Group and the guarantee of an internship, but She recently took part in a geography field trip to Cuba,
is considering a law conversion course after graduation. where part of her task was to give a guided tour of Havana
to her teachers and peers on the subject of nationalism and
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? national identity.
In a place where I have different streams of income, and am
able to support my family and to use a position of success to Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
make a change. The big aim is to have a career in the UN.

10 FUTURE LEADERS 10 ANNIVERSARY EDITION
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