Black History Month

History was made by the actions of people like Rosa Parks. BHM is a tribute to our history, but just as importantly it inspires us in the work that lies ahead. Countless sisters and brothers involved in black emancipation struggles stressed the importance of learning from our history, spending time with books and reading to satisfy our curiosity. Malcolm X strongly held the belief that education is power, and Madame C J Walker believed working hard should be our motto.

This year, we want to highlight the effects of austerity measures on our lives as black disabled students. By belonging to two minority groups in society, we face double the oppression. We are made vulnerable by policies enacted by the Government.

An example of this is the removal of Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA), which has had major consequences for disabled learners, affecting their ability to participate in, and benefit from further education.

More than half of young black men in the UK are unemployed, twice as many as their white counterparts. 'Unconscious bias' has been cited as one reason why as a black person you are more likely to be unemployed one year after leaving university. These disproportionate effects are compounded for black disabled university leavers.

Black female disabled students are twice as likely to experience sexual abuse than their white counterparts. This leads to incidences of the following:

1. Low self-esteem

2. Increased suicide rate and suicide attempts

3. Increased mental health issues

4. Higher levels of dropping out of school

5. Increased rates of crime

We need to acknowledge that society is structured in a way that benefits some and disadvantages other people, and policies of austerity do nothing to lessen the gap or help black disabled students fight discriminatory practices by accessing the services they require.

What we learn from Black History Month we need to ensure we don't limit to just this month, but highlight our presence in the present.