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Valerie’s story

I hope I’ve been able to make a difference in building that community and awareness of Black people at Sussex and their histories.”VALERIE KPOYRE
Philosophy and English BA, Junior Research Associate

“I applied to be a Junior Research Associate (JRA) after I heard about the Black at Sussex project, which is a celebration of the history of Black students at the Â鶹´«Ã½.

I didn’t know anything about how many incredible Black people came here, and how much difference they had made in Black British culture and British culture. There was such a rich tapestry. It made me feel like I had a community that was backing me in my education.

For my research, which I did for eight weeks before starting my third year, I worked with Black Sussex alumni to get a sense of what it’d been like across generations. I interviewed playwright , filmmaker and sociologist . And I collaborated with photographers and on the photography of Black alumni.

One central theme was how Sussex had changed them. Even though it wasn’t easy for them, it was a pivotal moment in their lives in understanding and exploring their identity. I also went to for my research and looked at archive documents from what used to be the Â鶹´«Ã½’s School of African and Asian Studies.

It made sense that people came to Sussex to study because this was a space where they felt they could gain something. It was so exciting to see this written history, especially around Sussex’s involvement in the anti-Apartheid movement. It has led on to so many things for me, such as taking part in a panel discussion at the in Brixton – founded by Sussex alumnus, the late Len Garrison. Being a JRA reminded me how much I love education. I’d like to take some time out after my degree, but I’d like to do a Masters and maybe a doctorate. I think it’s a different way of understanding the world around you.

I always try to add value to the spaces I occupy in any way, shape or form, and I hope I’ve been able to make a difference in building that community and awareness of Black people at Sussex and their histories. Sussex has been such a wonderful place to explore who I am and what I want.”

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