English/Scottish/Nigerian | African/Chinese/European
In the context of the University of Oxford, we hope our names; faces and stories will emphasise that there is a place for everyone at Oxford. According to last year’s admissions data, 700 Oxford undergraduates identify as mixed. In 2016, BAME students accounted for 15.9% of the undergraduate intake. Oxford is diversifying, albeit slowly. We hope to empower mixed heritage students at Oxford and foster a community where they can safely share their own opinions, experiences and stories.
I identify as a Christian who is mixed-race and heterosexual. Three of my Grandparents came to the UK from Jamaica and the other was born in Britain. My Mum is of African, Chinese and European descent. The African and European parts of my Mum’s roots are spread out from countries all over those continents. My Dad’s racial background is half Nigerian, one quarter English and one quarter Scottish. It’s only been within the past year that I have fully allowed myself to embrace this label. But since both my parents are of Jamaican descent, I never thought I counted as being mixed-race until recently. Before I arrived, I’d imagined Oxford as a place where I could fall deeper in love with my subject and be pushed in all sorts of dimensions. My heritage was not a factor in my decision to attend. I haven’t experienced any obvious racism in my time here. I find it hard to recognise covert racism. I find it easier identifying that sort of racism retrospectively, so if you were to ask me that question in a couple of years’ time I would have an answer. My experience has for the large part been that Oxford is accepting and warm. I do think there is quite a way to go for Oxford to be yet more inclusive, both as an institution and as a community. To some extent (and you may think me naïve for saying this), I think that if you are fearful of discrimination and intolerance, then you will project these things and find them. My experiences at Oxford have made me more aware of my status as a non-White person but in a positive and enlightening way as the topic of race is given a platform here, whereas where and when I grew up race wasn’t discussed as much. I have felt increasingly represented with the formation of the Oxford Mixed Heritage Society. I’ve never been surrounded by so many other BAME students since coming here so there is a definite sense of belonging. Oxford itself is one of the UK’s most racially diverse areas which is wonderful.
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