Dr Iwi Ugiagbe-Green explains what Black History Month means to her.

Can you introduce yourself and your role at Manchester Met?

I joined the department of Finance and Economics two years ago as a Reader. I am lucky enough to still do some teaching – students are the best and I love learning with them.  

As my career has progressed, I have moved from education leadership focused roles to roles that enable me to use my race equity research to influence changes in policy and practice.

I was awarded a Fellowship at my previous institution to lead on award gaps work across the University.  My research became much more focused on race equity and my practice became anchored in social justice. As well as being a lapsed accountant, I would say I am an academic activist.

I have been lucky enough to continue my work on award gaps, here at Manchester Met.

As you know we are celebrating Black History Month. Why do you think it’s important to raise awareness about this? 

Black history is everyone’s history.  It is British history.  

Having a dedicated month means Black history can be perceived as being detached, however, I think people are starting to recognise that Black history is not restricted to the abominable act of trans-Atlantic slave trade.  

We should all learn, reflect on and celebrate different aspects of Black history every day.

Black History Month does provide an opportunity for people to learn, reflect and celebrate through events, exhibitions and literature. The month provides a designated time of year of focus for these things and an opportunity for collective reflection about how Black history influences history that we are making now. 

The month is also about the celebration of culture, music, art, influential and important trailblazers and the civil rights movement. Importantly, people have an opportunity to learn about the influence and importance of Black history to everyone’s history and what that means for society today.

This year’s theme is ‘Celebrating our sisters’. As the Equality Champion in this year’s Staff Awards, what achievements are you proud of that contributed towards you receiving this award?

I am hugely proud to have been recognised for my work on degree award gaps.  It is a joyous thing to know that my work is acknowledged at a University level.

However, awards are meaningless and performative if the experiences of marginalised and minoritised students and colleagues for whom I advocate, do not improve. For me, the real achievement comes in improving their opportunities, experiences, and outcomes.  

My biggest achievement was listening to a group of Black students who came to see me one afternoon about four years ago.  The conversation with them changed the course of my career and the focus of my work.  They helped me see how valuable I was as a Black woman academic and realise the importance of using my space and my role to improve and transform students’ opportunities. 

I make absolutely no apologies for engaging in work that seeks to make their lives better, regardless of the pushback that I get or how exhausting and demoralising it can be.

For the fifth consecutive year, Manchester Met is continuing its investment in the Stellar HE programme, a targeted leadership programme for aspiring leaders from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds. As a recent graduate from the programme, what were your biggest takeaways?

It is no exaggeration to say Stellar HE transformed me.

I was going through a very difficult period in my work, and it gave me some newfound perspective and personal tools to deal with the situation.  I reclaimed some power in a very disempowering situation and found the strength to prioritise my wellbeing and walked away. 

The programme changed my mindset and my behaviour, which was personally, hugely beneficial, and very timely.

View Dr Iwi Ugiagbe-Green’s full academic profile.