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Taking Up Space
A groundbreaking exploration of the problems of diversity in education, by two extremely talented young graduates.
As a minority in a predominantly white institution, taking up space is an act of resistance. And in higher education, feeling like you constantly have to justify your existence within institutions that weren't made for you is an ongoing struggle for many people.
Chelsea Kwakye and Ore Ogunbiyi, two recent Cambridge graduates, wrote Taking Up Space as a guide and a manifesto for change: tackling issues of access, unrepresentative curricula, discrimination in the classroom, the problems of activism and life before and after university.
Featuring honest conversations with students past and present, Taking up Space goes beyond the buzzwords of diversity and inclusion and explores what those words truly mean for young black girls today.
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First published May 16, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
December 19, 2019
Chelsea and Ore let you see through their eyes, the UK educational system, and all of its consequences.
I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The narrative loosely follows Chelsea and Ore in the formative years they spend at University. It also features further statements from other black women, cementing that the ongoing struggles are widespread.
As nothing is truly isolated, the book also looks at the societal effects; the lack of support, the lack of knowledge and understanding of the establishments we trust. The fact that there are few black women at Oxbridge becomes almost a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Then there are the recurring consequences and limitations for British BAME citizens.
The authors arguments are solid and well-founded. Their narrative is passionate, but logical; they explain every step of the process. They aren't just railing against the system, they are offering constructive criticism and examples of colleges that successfully encourage and support BAME students throughout their educational careers, giving them the strongest platform for what comes next.
As a student from a Working Class background, (I couldn't rely on my parents for financial support and put myself through uni) a lot of this resonated with me. It was only when I moved away, did my Yorkshire accent become a barrier; and I discovered the low regard people had for my hometown (it turns out that Donny is the awkward chavvy cousin in the Yorkshire family).
Still, I'm as guilty as anyone, for not being aware of all the issues facing a BAME student.
I'm guilty of comparing the UK to the awful racial tension the the US and thinking "we're nowhere near that bad"; but being better than the bad guys is no excuse.
This book is quite enlightening, and the message it carries is important to support black students, and to educate the rest of us.
This book has been written by two women that are clearly educated and intelligent, their passion on the subject is clear, and I could imagine them giving excellent talks on the matter.
As a written piece, the narrative isn't the type I can sit and binge read; and the content is quite repetitive.
I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The narrative loosely follows Chelsea and Ore in the formative years they spend at University. It also features further statements from other black women, cementing that the ongoing struggles are widespread.
As nothing is truly isolated, the book also looks at the societal effects; the lack of support, the lack of knowledge and understanding of the establishments we trust. The fact that there are few black women at Oxbridge becomes almost a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Then there are the recurring consequences and limitations for British BAME citizens.
The authors arguments are solid and well-founded. Their narrative is passionate, but logical; they explain every step of the process. They aren't just railing against the system, they are offering constructive criticism and examples of colleges that successfully encourage and support BAME students throughout their educational careers, giving them the strongest platform for what comes next.
As a student from a Working Class background, (I couldn't rely on my parents for financial support and put myself through uni) a lot of this resonated with me. It was only when I moved away, did my Yorkshire accent become a barrier; and I discovered the low regard people had for my hometown (it turns out that Donny is the awkward chavvy cousin in the Yorkshire family).
Still, I'm as guilty as anyone, for not being aware of all the issues facing a BAME student.
I'm guilty of comparing the UK to the awful racial tension the the US and thinking "we're nowhere near that bad"; but being better than the bad guys is no excuse.
This book is quite enlightening, and the message it carries is important to support black students, and to educate the rest of us.
This book has been written by two women that are clearly educated and intelligent, their passion on the subject is clear, and I could imagine them giving excellent talks on the matter.
As a written piece, the narrative isn't the type I can sit and binge read; and the content is quite repetitive.
June 15, 2019
How I wished this book existed when I was at university.
While being the only black woman in a lecture hall at predominantly white institution is the norm for many young women in the UK, Chelsea Kwakye and Ore Ogunbiyi, along with a host of other Cambridge graduates have lent their voices and opinions to catalogue the trials of navigating these spaces at every point along the way. As the first publication of Stormzy’s #Merky imprint at Penguin Random House, we’ve slowly seen the publishing industry industry acknowledge the problems of a lack of diversity in print. Books such as these not only champion taking up space, whether in society or on a shelf, as an act of resistance, but also as an absolute necessity as opposed to a passing trend.
From pre-application anxiety, the years of study and post-graduation expectations, the chronology of this collection of essays perfectly captures and articulates the challenges of black women throughout their studies and how the actors they meet along the way may help or hinder.
Named ‘The Black Girl’s Manifesto for Change’ this is true in every sense in that a genuine motivation and desire to invoke change is made clear from the offset. While chiefly aimed at black women, there is plenty to take away from those who do not identify in this way, should they wish to consider themselves allies.
Taking up space and reclaiming what is deserved offers the opportunity to validate experiences which are too often overlooked and downplayed. Topics such as higher education and mental health and how they uniquely impact black women given weight, value and acknowledgement as opposed to something to ‘protect, defend, and explain’. With charming moments and flecks of humour throughout, Taking Up Space is deserving of its namesake.
While being the only black woman in a lecture hall at predominantly white institution is the norm for many young women in the UK, Chelsea Kwakye and Ore Ogunbiyi, along with a host of other Cambridge graduates have lent their voices and opinions to catalogue the trials of navigating these spaces at every point along the way. As the first publication of Stormzy’s #Merky imprint at Penguin Random House, we’ve slowly seen the publishing industry industry acknowledge the problems of a lack of diversity in print. Books such as these not only champion taking up space, whether in society or on a shelf, as an act of resistance, but also as an absolute necessity as opposed to a passing trend.
From pre-application anxiety, the years of study and post-graduation expectations, the chronology of this collection of essays perfectly captures and articulates the challenges of black women throughout their studies and how the actors they meet along the way may help or hinder.
Named ‘The Black Girl’s Manifesto for Change’ this is true in every sense in that a genuine motivation and desire to invoke change is made clear from the offset. While chiefly aimed at black women, there is plenty to take away from those who do not identify in this way, should they wish to consider themselves allies.
Taking up space and reclaiming what is deserved offers the opportunity to validate experiences which are too often overlooked and downplayed. Topics such as higher education and mental health and how they uniquely impact black women given weight, value and acknowledgement as opposed to something to ‘protect, defend, and explain’. With charming moments and flecks of humour throughout, Taking Up Space is deserving of its namesake.
July 28, 2019
An excellent book on black women undergraduate students' experience of university in Britain, in particular at Cambridge. From the blurb: "For black girls: use this book as a guide. ... For everyone else [i.e. incl. me]: We can only hope that reading this helps you to be a better friend, parent, sibling or teacher to black girls living through what we did. It's time we stepped away from seeing this as a problem that black people are charged with solving on their own." I teach (too few) black students and read in two sittings this frank, open, tough and generous account.
The two authors interviewed 14 other black people, 12 women and 2 non-binary people. What emerges is a multi-faceted insight, and I particularly love the way that their own view is not presented as the only one and that there is understanding and empathy with diverse positions. Black students are not a monolith, they say at one point, and the book lives that premise. The prose is clear, sharp and personal; the structure makes sense. There are a number of acronyms that not everyone may immediately get, and the explanations can be hidden away in the pages (but all are easily googleable).
My main take-aways:
- Outside of London and a handful of other cities, there are few sizeable black communities. E.g. in Cambridge there is no African hair stylist. Some of the students here were the only ones on their course, or one of a handful. This made people experience imposter syndrome and wonder if they had chosen the wrong place (did all the other black students know something they did not?).
- The fact that there were (are) so few of them, made black students feel invisible and at the same time hypervisible.
- White students can forget about racism, if they choose. Black students cannot.
- Curricula are very white. One student reported that the Industrial Revolution was taught without mention of slavery.
- There is diversity among BAME (Black and Asian Minority Ethnic) students. Being black is 'the bottom of the totem pole'. There is inter-BAME racism, and there are differences within the black student body (incl. from black men students). White normativity
- Expectations of 'Black Excellence' puts pressure on black students to achieve. They are doing it not only for themselves, but for their families and for all black people.
- Racialised language limits expectations of black students, starting with secondary school. The emphasis is on race being a problem, not on encouraging the student to attain at the highest level.
- Misogynoir is the misogyny directed specifically at black women.
- Black students make up 4 per cent of people aged 18-24 but account for 8 per cent of the UK uni population.
- 1.8 per cent of academic staff in the UK are black; 0.13 per cent are black women.
- Most unis have diversity and inclusivity mission statements but no strategy on how exactly it is to be put into practice. The one university that does put policies and objectives behind its mission statement is SOAS (London's School of Oriental and African Studies).
- When socialising and dating at uni, black women find they are often not desirable to black or to white men, or conversely, their bodies are fetishised or they are seen as an 'adventure'.
- One of the authors grappled with email when she first got to uni; it made me realise that most young people have never used email before and don't know its etiquettes.
There is a whole lot more in this book: essential for black students at uni, also highly useful for other students as we gain such a lively and critical view of what life at the Uni of Cambridge is like, and important for everyone else who has anything to do with higher education.
Two quibbles: Firstly, each chapter is introduced by an illustration showing a black woman's head in profile, like a silhouette cut-out. The head has a 1970s afro (both authors talk about their braids in the book; they don't have afros), and it has a curly, large eyelash sweeping out of the profile which makes it look like a prettified logo on a shampoo bottle. It was designed by Gareth John: I have no idea why in a feminist book centred on women, a man was chosen to create a completely anti-feminist design that jars with the gist of the book.
Secondly, the authors twice mention feeling put down by a non-black student who automatically assumed they were from Cambridge's "other university", i.e. Anglia Ruskin University. I did not like this collusion in the perpetuation of Britain's ridiculous Oxbridge fetishisation and the denigration of any other uni. Elsewhere, they do point out that they sometimes did events together with Anglia Ruskin to bulk up ACS (African-Caribbean Student Society) numbers and they do take into account unis outside Oxford and Cambridge, but still: it jarred.
Format: I read the hardback which doesn't weigh a lot, has floppy pages and is nicely presented, with smooth paper.
The two authors interviewed 14 other black people, 12 women and 2 non-binary people. What emerges is a multi-faceted insight, and I particularly love the way that their own view is not presented as the only one and that there is understanding and empathy with diverse positions. Black students are not a monolith, they say at one point, and the book lives that premise. The prose is clear, sharp and personal; the structure makes sense. There are a number of acronyms that not everyone may immediately get, and the explanations can be hidden away in the pages (but all are easily googleable).
My main take-aways:
- Outside of London and a handful of other cities, there are few sizeable black communities. E.g. in Cambridge there is no African hair stylist. Some of the students here were the only ones on their course, or one of a handful. This made people experience imposter syndrome and wonder if they had chosen the wrong place (did all the other black students know something they did not?).
- The fact that there were (are) so few of them, made black students feel invisible and at the same time hypervisible.
- White students can forget about racism, if they choose. Black students cannot.
- Curricula are very white. One student reported that the Industrial Revolution was taught without mention of slavery.
- There is diversity among BAME (Black and Asian Minority Ethnic) students. Being black is 'the bottom of the totem pole'. There is inter-BAME racism, and there are differences within the black student body (incl. from black men students). White normativity
- Expectations of 'Black Excellence' puts pressure on black students to achieve. They are doing it not only for themselves, but for their families and for all black people.
- Racialised language limits expectations of black students, starting with secondary school. The emphasis is on race being a problem, not on encouraging the student to attain at the highest level.
- Misogynoir is the misogyny directed specifically at black women.
- Black students make up 4 per cent of people aged 18-24 but account for 8 per cent of the UK uni population.
- 1.8 per cent of academic staff in the UK are black; 0.13 per cent are black women.
- Most unis have diversity and inclusivity mission statements but no strategy on how exactly it is to be put into practice. The one university that does put policies and objectives behind its mission statement is SOAS (London's School of Oriental and African Studies).
- When socialising and dating at uni, black women find they are often not desirable to black or to white men, or conversely, their bodies are fetishised or they are seen as an 'adventure'.
- One of the authors grappled with email when she first got to uni; it made me realise that most young people have never used email before and don't know its etiquettes.
There is a whole lot more in this book: essential for black students at uni, also highly useful for other students as we gain such a lively and critical view of what life at the Uni of Cambridge is like, and important for everyone else who has anything to do with higher education.
Two quibbles: Firstly, each chapter is introduced by an illustration showing a black woman's head in profile, like a silhouette cut-out. The head has a 1970s afro (both authors talk about their braids in the book; they don't have afros), and it has a curly, large eyelash sweeping out of the profile which makes it look like a prettified logo on a shampoo bottle. It was designed by Gareth John: I have no idea why in a feminist book centred on women, a man was chosen to create a completely anti-feminist design that jars with the gist of the book.
Secondly, the authors twice mention feeling put down by a non-black student who automatically assumed they were from Cambridge's "other university", i.e. Anglia Ruskin University. I did not like this collusion in the perpetuation of Britain's ridiculous Oxbridge fetishisation and the denigration of any other uni. Elsewhere, they do point out that they sometimes did events together with Anglia Ruskin to bulk up ACS (African-Caribbean Student Society) numbers and they do take into account unis outside Oxford and Cambridge, but still: it jarred.
Format: I read the hardback which doesn't weigh a lot, has floppy pages and is nicely presented, with smooth paper.
October 5, 2019
An insightful must read into the persistent challenges young black women face in the U.K. education system, especially when they enter establishments like Cambridge.
As a very privileged white person it made me ashamed but also now thankfully more aware of how white Eurocentric our curriculum and whole education system is. But this isn’t just about a university environment this could be applied to all areas of life and especially when gender and sexual identity is taken into account.
A brilliant book by inspiring, resilient and strong young black women who (shouldn’t have to) but quite rightly are challenging the societal “norms” and “systems” that are overtly (not to all) not inclusive or representative! I only wish I had an ounce of their activism and confidence at their age - but their activism and achievements so far make me hopeful!
As a very privileged white person it made me ashamed but also now thankfully more aware of how white Eurocentric our curriculum and whole education system is. But this isn’t just about a university environment this could be applied to all areas of life and especially when gender and sexual identity is taken into account.
A brilliant book by inspiring, resilient and strong young black women who (shouldn’t have to) but quite rightly are challenging the societal “norms” and “systems” that are overtly (not to all) not inclusive or representative! I only wish I had an ounce of their activism and confidence at their age - but their activism and achievements so far make me hopeful!
Read
May 7, 2022This book is enlightening for people to discover how a myriad of little, repetitive things make you feel like you don't belong when you do. Things like going out with majority friends and being the only one not getting hit on. Being asked questions on all matters related to the African continent. Discovering there is not one single book by a non-WASP included in your reading list.
I've been a white person in a black school where I didn't recognise any book on the book list for English and was always singled out in general, but readily admit I am still not even close to understanding what it is like to be in Chelsea's and Ore's shoes. I work in education and this book helps me gain more insight into my minority students' experiences.
The book itself is a collection of experiences and tips, loosely and vaguely structured in themes and following a couple of students' lives. It was sometimes hard for me to focus, for lack of coherence.
Still recommended to many, even if only a couple of chapters.
I've been a white person in a black school where I didn't recognise any book on the book list for English and was always singled out in general, but readily admit I am still not even close to understanding what it is like to be in Chelsea's and Ore's shoes. I work in education and this book helps me gain more insight into my minority students' experiences.
The book itself is a collection of experiences and tips, loosely and vaguely structured in themes and following a couple of students' lives. It was sometimes hard for me to focus, for lack of coherence.
Still recommended to many, even if only a couple of chapters.
March 19, 2021
3.5/5
Taking Up Space is a highly informative read that provides great insight into the ways academia has completely failed to support and celebrate Black students, with a particular focus on women and non-binary students. There’s a lot of statistics in this book but they don’t feel overwhelming at all. I listened to this on audio, but there were times where I had to switch to reading the physical book because the words needed to really sink in. The official audiobook is narrated by the authors of this book themselves and the personal touch is really welcoming.
There’s an interesting chapter in this book that focuses on the popularisation of the term ‘BAME’ to refer to minority ethnic groups. BAME stands for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic. Quite correctly, Kwakye and Ogunbiyi highlight how the term BAME is actually quite harmful. It herds together large ethnic groups without allowing for any sort of nuance within those groups. I thought this was a really interesting chapter that could be useful for many industry professionals. That being said, there is part of that chapter where one of the authors talks about the Asian category within BAME. I found that whenever Asians were brought up in conversation, they were only ever referred to as Pakistanis or Arabs, which was in itself quite dismissive of the point they were trying to get across.
I think, with a bit of editing, Taking Up Space could have been perfect. Looking past the editing, the information provided by the authors and contributors to this book was so insightful and definitely made me aware that I have to be more mindful of the social disparities faced by Black people across the UK.
Content Warnings: sexual harassment, rape, racism, sexism, misogynoir.
Taking Up Space is a highly informative read that provides great insight into the ways academia has completely failed to support and celebrate Black students, with a particular focus on women and non-binary students. There’s a lot of statistics in this book but they don’t feel overwhelming at all. I listened to this on audio, but there were times where I had to switch to reading the physical book because the words needed to really sink in. The official audiobook is narrated by the authors of this book themselves and the personal touch is really welcoming.
There’s an interesting chapter in this book that focuses on the popularisation of the term ‘BAME’ to refer to minority ethnic groups. BAME stands for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic. Quite correctly, Kwakye and Ogunbiyi highlight how the term BAME is actually quite harmful. It herds together large ethnic groups without allowing for any sort of nuance within those groups. I thought this was a really interesting chapter that could be useful for many industry professionals. That being said, there is part of that chapter where one of the authors talks about the Asian category within BAME. I found that whenever Asians were brought up in conversation, they were only ever referred to as Pakistanis or Arabs, which was in itself quite dismissive of the point they were trying to get across.
I think, with a bit of editing, Taking Up Space could have been perfect. Looking past the editing, the information provided by the authors and contributors to this book was so insightful and definitely made me aware that I have to be more mindful of the social disparities faced by Black people across the UK.
Content Warnings: sexual harassment, rape, racism, sexism, misogynoir.
May 23, 2025
Taking Up Space: The Black Girl’s Manifesto for Change is an engaging and highly readable exploration of black girls' experiences at top UK universities. Kwakye and Ogunbiyi both went to Cambridge and interviewed graduates of other Russell Group universities for this book. All of them struggled with the pervasive whiteness of these institutions. The specifics are broken down into a series of chapters on the application process, course content, mental health, relationships, and activism. The book is a manifesto to guide, encourage, and empower black girls, as well as an insightful examination of racism in universities.
The pressures placed on black female students are intense. I had not realised the extent to which top universities are leaving it to black students themselves to actually tackle racism and inequalities in access. Students who are there to study should not also end up responsible for leading efforts to encourage more applications from minority groups. That struck me as a total institutional abrogation of responsibility. It's clearly a more general problem, going well beyond access campaigns:
I found Taking Up Space: The Black Girl’s Manifesto for Change a really insightful and thought-provoking account of how racism impacts students. I highly recommend it.
The pressures placed on black female students are intense. I had not realised the extent to which top universities are leaving it to black students themselves to actually tackle racism and inequalities in access. Students who are there to study should not also end up responsible for leading efforts to encourage more applications from minority groups. That struck me as a total institutional abrogation of responsibility. It's clearly a more general problem, going well beyond access campaigns:
To what extent are black students not privileged with mediocrity? Why must we feel the need, why are we obligated to make a difference? Why are we obligated to make an impact? - Renée
It's not merely an obligation that we feel within, it is an obligation that is placed on us. We're assumed to be the founts of all knowledge on everything concerning blackness, and to have an opinion on everything that affects black people everywhere. But what if you don't? What if you just want to focus on your degree, and graduate? What if you just want to pursue other interests?
I found Taking Up Space: The Black Girl’s Manifesto for Change a really insightful and thought-provoking account of how racism impacts students. I highly recommend it.
July 14, 2024
4 STARS
CW: racism, sexism, misogyny, mention of panic attacks, mention of homo- & transphobia, mention of sexual assault & rape
I read this for one of my classes (a full two days before the exam) and I must admit I was very quickly drawn into the book and hadn't expected to enjoy reading it as much as I did. Two Black women write about their time at Cambridge university and discuss various aspects of Black women (and men) at high prestige institutions such as Cambridge.
I really liked how diverse and intersectional, despite focusing on Black women's experiences, the book was: classism, racism, sexism were all addressed and it was mentioned how different people's experiences can be.
I think this is a great book to read to educate yourself and a great starting point. From the contents, there are various topics mentioned which can be looked into further. It also addresses the importance of allyship and white / privileged people's contributing to change in spaces that are inaccessible for others, beginning at home. It is also stressed that good allyship never entails speaking over Black men, women and nonbinary people but rather being willing to be educated and facing and correcting one's own racism.
CW: racism, sexism, misogyny, mention of panic attacks, mention of homo- & transphobia, mention of sexual assault & rape
I read this for one of my classes (a full two days before the exam) and I must admit I was very quickly drawn into the book and hadn't expected to enjoy reading it as much as I did. Two Black women write about their time at Cambridge university and discuss various aspects of Black women (and men) at high prestige institutions such as Cambridge.
I really liked how diverse and intersectional, despite focusing on Black women's experiences, the book was: classism, racism, sexism were all addressed and it was mentioned how different people's experiences can be.
I think this is a great book to read to educate yourself and a great starting point. From the contents, there are various topics mentioned which can be looked into further. It also addresses the importance of allyship and white / privileged people's contributing to change in spaces that are inaccessible for others, beginning at home. It is also stressed that good allyship never entails speaking over Black men, women and nonbinary people but rather being willing to be educated and facing and correcting one's own racism.
December 29, 2021
4.5 ⭐️
i learnt SOOO much from this book and would recommend to literally everyone
(dropping half a star because i did get a bit repetitive some times)
i learnt SOOO much from this book and would recommend to literally everyone
(dropping half a star because i did get a bit repetitive some times)
November 9, 2020
Written by two black women about their experiences attending a mostly white, privileged university.
It starts with a list of names of women and their accomplishments, who are the women they interviewed for the book to portray experience beyond just the two authors. The authors then explain a little about their respective backgrounds and how they came to be accepted in a Cambridge university.
The intent of the book is to shed light on the experience of what it's like to be a black woman in a traditionally white male setting. They include people who identify as non-binary, which made me wonder, why not black males? Surely they would share many of the experiences of racism and cultural division? This is actually addressed later in the book.
I chose to read this book because although I grew up in a multi-cultural city and have always had friends of whatever race they happen to be, including mixed, I know enough to know that I can never really know their experience. Reading their stories is as close as I can get to understanding.
This book is brilliantly written in that it relates those experiences without the sort of anger often expressed around racism. The authors let you get inside their heads and see through their eyes in a sort of memoir style, opening up their emotions for the readers in a way I found very brave.
The irony is that what made me feel a separation from these women wasn't race, but their ability to get into a top university. I appreciated how hard they must have worked to get those top grades that made it possible. Suddenly my own school career looks like a wasted opportunity. The stress of dealing with university pressure sounded like a nightmare, but add to it that they felt out of place and had no choice but to continually define themselves by their race and feelings of impostor syndrome.
It was interesting to read why they felt compelled to participate in activism and why they sought out others of their race for a support system, even when they didn't always like the individuals. It explained why in school I noticed that people I was friendly with in classes spent their break times among other black groups rather than mixing in more.
I think this book would be a real benefit to any young black girl in school with aspirations to go to a good university as it encourages them to see that it can be accomplished and where the pitfalls can be found, but I also think the book is useful to anyone of any age or race for the perspective it brings.
It starts with a list of names of women and their accomplishments, who are the women they interviewed for the book to portray experience beyond just the two authors. The authors then explain a little about their respective backgrounds and how they came to be accepted in a Cambridge university.
The intent of the book is to shed light on the experience of what it's like to be a black woman in a traditionally white male setting. They include people who identify as non-binary, which made me wonder, why not black males? Surely they would share many of the experiences of racism and cultural division? This is actually addressed later in the book.
I chose to read this book because although I grew up in a multi-cultural city and have always had friends of whatever race they happen to be, including mixed, I know enough to know that I can never really know their experience. Reading their stories is as close as I can get to understanding.
This book is brilliantly written in that it relates those experiences without the sort of anger often expressed around racism. The authors let you get inside their heads and see through their eyes in a sort of memoir style, opening up their emotions for the readers in a way I found very brave.
The irony is that what made me feel a separation from these women wasn't race, but their ability to get into a top university. I appreciated how hard they must have worked to get those top grades that made it possible. Suddenly my own school career looks like a wasted opportunity. The stress of dealing with university pressure sounded like a nightmare, but add to it that they felt out of place and had no choice but to continually define themselves by their race and feelings of impostor syndrome.
It was interesting to read why they felt compelled to participate in activism and why they sought out others of their race for a support system, even when they didn't always like the individuals. It explained why in school I noticed that people I was friendly with in classes spent their break times among other black groups rather than mixing in more.
I think this book would be a real benefit to any young black girl in school with aspirations to go to a good university as it encourages them to see that it can be accomplished and where the pitfalls can be found, but I also think the book is useful to anyone of any age or race for the perspective it brings.
May 31, 2022
Taking Up Space is a book I wish I had read at University. Chronicling the lives of black women and non-binary people at Oxbridge and other prestigious universities across the UK, it explains how that University experience can be so different to that of white people with expectation, institutional racism and prejudice looming in the forefront.
A really digestible read that informative and passionate in a way that resonated whole heartedly with me as a reader.
A really digestible read that informative and passionate in a way that resonated whole heartedly with me as a reader.
July 4, 2022
Chelsea and Ore have done a remarkable job with this book!
I loved that they mixed their own experiences with the stories and thoughts of others who sometimes had the same and sometimes completely different experiences than they had during their years at university in Britain. Their writing style was clear and easy to follow, making it all the more a book I can only recommend everyone should read.
"(...) to take up space is to know that your voice is valid, that you deserve to be in the room and, finally, celebrating all your wins first, rather than leading with your losses."
I loved that they mixed their own experiences with the stories and thoughts of others who sometimes had the same and sometimes completely different experiences than they had during their years at university in Britain. Their writing style was clear and easy to follow, making it all the more a book I can only recommend everyone should read.
"(...) to take up space is to know that your voice is valid, that you deserve to be in the room and, finally, celebrating all your wins first, rather than leading with your losses."
October 7, 2023
Based on Black student's experience at Cambridge, but essential reading for anyone in education.
December 5, 2022
A very insightful account of two black women's experiences at Cambridge. There are plenty of personal accounts combined with data and short interview snippets with other students to convey messaging. The book effectively handles the topic with an intersectional lens, showing how race is intertwined with gender and sexuality.
May 7, 2023
Für Regional Studies Scotland and Northern Ireland mit Don Lowman gelesen.
October 7, 2019
I wish there was an LGBT version of this book when I went to University. So I can only imagine how helpful this would have been to have as a black entrant. Even if you have graduated and/or are white, then it's still a great ally read. Both for those working in UK higher education sector or as people who want to read something that might have them reflect on their current working practices and their fairness to representation.
As a new publication, it is set during the Closing the Gap report on BAME attainment gaps which exist at all UK HEIs. It discusses current topics: e.g. the Warwick University rape scandal, the need to decolonize the curriculum, what is BAME, equality and diversity charter-marks (and loads more). This is in addition to using reflective narrative to mention all the facets of life that a student might experience whilst at University. As such, it will help educate new students on life at University and the underlying politics. For anyone else, they'll get the same lessons from this book, but also the mini-interviews with BAME students are a great modern insight into issues that would be invaluable to students and staff on EDI committees looking to improve BAME and gender representation.
As a new publication, it is set during the Closing the Gap report on BAME attainment gaps which exist at all UK HEIs. It discusses current topics: e.g. the Warwick University rape scandal, the need to decolonize the curriculum, what is BAME, equality and diversity charter-marks (and loads more). This is in addition to using reflective narrative to mention all the facets of life that a student might experience whilst at University. As such, it will help educate new students on life at University and the underlying politics. For anyone else, they'll get the same lessons from this book, but also the mini-interviews with BAME students are a great modern insight into issues that would be invaluable to students and staff on EDI committees looking to improve BAME and gender representation.
August 21, 2019
There were parts of this book which brought tears to my eyes. But it is a very positive book full of uplifting and beautiful writing. I am not BAME so I can never experience the discrimination these woman have, but reading their stories allows me some insight... even for just a moment. As a woman who studied engineering in the 80’s I was the only female, but out of Uni, I was back in the majority. As a lesbian, I know discrimination but there have been times when I have "passed" for straight. Again not an option if you’re a BAME woman. I loved the stories of how these authors found their own solutions. And although there are no easy answers, there are lots of possibilities and white people will learn a great deal from this well written, thought provoking book. It certainly needed to be written and needs to be read.
I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review.
I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review.
December 25, 2021
This was an excellent read and I got through it very quickly. It's a kind and truthful book about how race and gender effects black female students' experiences at some of UK's top universities. It's written for black women/non-binary students but I would highly recommended for people who are going to/already in/working at a university.
I'm neither black nor female but it made me think back on my own uni experience as an mixed-race transman. Obviously, I don't know how it feels like to be a female black student, but the feeling of being othered is something that I strongly empathize with. I moved from Japan thinking that I would finally fit in or 'find my tribe', but I quickly found that I was not one of the white British students, nor was I seen as a Japanese student (not that I wanted to be). I thought I would find my place in the LGBTQ+ Society but I didn't feel like I fit in there either. Thankfully, I did eventually find my people, but I think my experience helped me understand some of the topics that the book talks about.
Having said that, I can't begin to imagine what it is like to have to stand up to so many things every single day. The authors talk about how exhausting it is to exist in a white elite university, but they kept taking action and speaking up. I applaud them for their strength and courage, but they shouldn't have to do that in the first place. They are there to study and expand their knowledge, but instead they have to spend that energy trying to change a big institution that's wrapped up in racist traditions. And as they talked about in the book, it takes a toll on black students in various ways.
Universities simply have to do better. They have to listen. They have to act. And that goes to companies and society as well.
It also made me wonder how it was for black students at my uni and how my uni treated black students.
One thing that I thought that could have made the book even better, was how things are for students that look racially ambiguous. Students who might be not 'white enough' or 'black enough'. What kind of challenges do they face? How is it different from black students who are black enough? That was a thought that came up as a mixed-race reader.
__________________________________
Here are some sections that especially stood out.
'I was reconciling the parts of my identity that I thought were othered, and I came to understand that being othered is not necessarily a disadvantage but your superpower.' (p 59)
'... we as students can work to decolonise our own academic pathways. In my international relation essays, I would introduce examples of how the United Nations has been complicit in propagating neocolonialism under the guise of African "development" narratives.' (p 96)
'Arenike tried to speak up too:
I was like, "Why haven't we studied anyone who's not white?" And he was like, "oh yeah, I don't know, I don't really like, read those things" - blah blah blah. I'm just looking at him like, "Wow. You're a PhD student. How have you got on to where you are without reading those texts? How? How am I, an undergrad, smarter than you?"
That's when I knew university was a scam.' (p 98-99)
'be selfish and radical in choosing how to discover self love, because you will be the only person to do it justice. [...] At the same time, be careful not to attribute significance and importance to noise on the internet that lacks nuance. We are complex beings - "complex" not meaning "difficult", but deserving of the time it takes the work us out.' (p 187)
'Above all, at university we realise that the concept of space means a lot more to us as black women. We have never been afforded the luxury of simply existing and being able to blend into the background. We are constantly forced the navigate to university spaces that claim to support us but rarely show positive action proving that.' (p 267)
I'm neither black nor female but it made me think back on my own uni experience as an mixed-race transman. Obviously, I don't know how it feels like to be a female black student, but the feeling of being othered is something that I strongly empathize with. I moved from Japan thinking that I would finally fit in or 'find my tribe', but I quickly found that I was not one of the white British students, nor was I seen as a Japanese student (not that I wanted to be). I thought I would find my place in the LGBTQ+ Society but I didn't feel like I fit in there either. Thankfully, I did eventually find my people, but I think my experience helped me understand some of the topics that the book talks about.
Having said that, I can't begin to imagine what it is like to have to stand up to so many things every single day. The authors talk about how exhausting it is to exist in a white elite university, but they kept taking action and speaking up. I applaud them for their strength and courage, but they shouldn't have to do that in the first place. They are there to study and expand their knowledge, but instead they have to spend that energy trying to change a big institution that's wrapped up in racist traditions. And as they talked about in the book, it takes a toll on black students in various ways.
Universities simply have to do better. They have to listen. They have to act. And that goes to companies and society as well.
It also made me wonder how it was for black students at my uni and how my uni treated black students.
One thing that I thought that could have made the book even better, was how things are for students that look racially ambiguous. Students who might be not 'white enough' or 'black enough'. What kind of challenges do they face? How is it different from black students who are black enough? That was a thought that came up as a mixed-race reader.
__________________________________
Here are some sections that especially stood out.
'I was reconciling the parts of my identity that I thought were othered, and I came to understand that being othered is not necessarily a disadvantage but your superpower.' (p 59)
'... we as students can work to decolonise our own academic pathways. In my international relation essays, I would introduce examples of how the United Nations has been complicit in propagating neocolonialism under the guise of African "development" narratives.' (p 96)
'Arenike tried to speak up too:
I was like, "Why haven't we studied anyone who's not white?" And he was like, "oh yeah, I don't know, I don't really like, read those things" - blah blah blah. I'm just looking at him like, "Wow. You're a PhD student. How have you got on to where you are without reading those texts? How? How am I, an undergrad, smarter than you?"
That's when I knew university was a scam.' (p 98-99)
'be selfish and radical in choosing how to discover self love, because you will be the only person to do it justice. [...] At the same time, be careful not to attribute significance and importance to noise on the internet that lacks nuance. We are complex beings - "complex" not meaning "difficult", but deserving of the time it takes the work us out.' (p 187)
'Above all, at university we realise that the concept of space means a lot more to us as black women. We have never been afforded the luxury of simply existing and being able to blend into the background. We are constantly forced the navigate to university spaces that claim to support us but rarely show positive action proving that.' (p 267)
Read
March 18, 2021This book elucidates the insidious, invisible barriers that inhibit women of African descent from reaching for higher education (specifically here Oxbridge). They may not come from educational backgrounds that are conducive for them to flourish, they are not afforded the license to dream, their achievements are deprecated as 'diversity adjustments,' the spaces and manicured lawns they now occupy are predominantly middle- or upper-class, the curricula do not reflect their history or literature or experiences, they don't have role models to guide them, they need specific mental health supports, bullying and isolation in social situations. This is a good resource for people in pedagogy who want to understand the experiences of their students.
January 9, 2025
The ‘Slay in your lane’ for young Black girls entering University; how I wish to is book existed when I was growing up.
This book features a range of contributors including my podcast faves, Courtney and Renee of To My Sisters. A range of topics are covered from the unfair burden of activism to interracial dating and allyship.
“Being an ally isn’t about hijacking’s our voices or taking over our spaces.”
Ore and Chelsea do a brilliant job of telling their story as two Black women in Cambridge, sharing their experiences with narrow minded academics, colonial curriculum and underrepresentation in these institutions.
This book features a range of contributors including my podcast faves, Courtney and Renee of To My Sisters. A range of topics are covered from the unfair burden of activism to interracial dating and allyship.
“Being an ally isn’t about hijacking’s our voices or taking over our spaces.”
Ore and Chelsea do a brilliant job of telling their story as two Black women in Cambridge, sharing their experiences with narrow minded academics, colonial curriculum and underrepresentation in these institutions.
July 31, 2020
An excellent, thorough look at the UK educational system and the impact of being Black in school and university spaces.
Using a mixture of statistics and personal accounts the women give an informative perspective on the intersections of race, sexuality and gender when it comes to education, mental health, relationships, activism and several other topics.
As a white woman there was a lot in this book that I obviously couldn’t relate to on a personal level, but was informative and interesting to learn about.
Using a mixture of statistics and personal accounts the women give an informative perspective on the intersections of race, sexuality and gender when it comes to education, mental health, relationships, activism and several other topics.
As a white woman there was a lot in this book that I obviously couldn’t relate to on a personal level, but was informative and interesting to learn about.
August 12, 2021
Very thought provoking! For me, the most memorable thing from this book is the exploration of intersectionality and the effect it has on a person and society. It has made me reflect on my own experiences at uni and how I didn't even think about some of the stuff in this book.
As the purpose of this book states change is a "collective effort. And everyone has a role to play".
Very much worth a read!
As the purpose of this book states change is a "collective effort. And everyone has a role to play".
Very much worth a read!
October 25, 2024
I’m glad this book exists and I can see it being amazing for young black /POC women starting university for the first time, especially in the British context. Got the book as I was starting my masters and needed some tips on how I could thrive and be authentic within white space in Germany. Hence, contextually, found the book less helpful as I am older and heading into a little bit of a different context (although of course some similarities exist as white supremacy is a global phenomenon). Was good to learn from the experiences of black women, who while I share some lived experiences with, definitely have it a lot worse in many spaces. If they can do it, so can I.
Wished the book was more organized in offering tangible tips or things I could put into practice to take up space? Was more of a compilation of experiences, so was not exactly what I was looking for or expecting as per the book’s title.
Wished the book was more organized in offering tangible tips or things I could put into practice to take up space? Was more of a compilation of experiences, so was not exactly what I was looking for or expecting as per the book’s title.
January 13, 2025
A really enjoyable read (listen)! Love hearing about different people’s experiences and this was super informative. I was a little disappointed that she felt that “ a white therapist wouldn’t be able to support me without thinking ‘what is she talking about’” because I see a lot of people that I can’t always relate to. But nonetheless very interesting!!
November 6, 2019
I found a kindred voice in Ore and Chelsea's re-telling of their experiences as black girls in predominantly white academic spaces.
July 3, 2020
An essential read for all educators. As a white teacher who wants to do better for her black students this was incredibly important. Liked the fact there was a reference section at the end that has links to more websites and articles.
September 25, 2020
As a black woman who went to Oxford, there were so many elements of the books I related to. Upon reading it, I no longer felt alone in experiences I had. I have gifted the book to other black women to ensure they never feel that loneliness.
May 30, 2021
Enjoyed that it was written by young people for young people, very accessible and enlightening
September 29, 2021
When reading please acknowledge my grammar is not the best as I am dyslexic.
This is a very good and interesting book is very useful. I liked me it was not what I expected at all but I’m glad it wasn’t. There are so many experiences that all us black girls Share but never discuss. I wish I had read this book before I went uni but as I’m going back for my 3rd degree, but It is still very useful And I’m glad I’ve read it.
This is a very good and interesting book is very useful. I liked me it was not what I expected at all but I’m glad it wasn’t. There are so many experiences that all us black girls Share but never discuss. I wish I had read this book before I went uni but as I’m going back for my 3rd degree, but It is still very useful And I’m glad I’ve read it.
May 2, 2020
Such a good read. This is a book I would’ve loved to have before going to uni. Strongly recommend
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