Nicola Rollock

I thoroughly enjoyed giving the keynote - ‘The enduring relevance of race in higher education’ - at the Spring Symposium of the @lnvh.nl - Dutch Network of Women Professors in #Utrecht recently. The theme was “The inclusive university: walking the talk”. The day was a wonderful blend of creative and thoughtful ways of engaging with the topic including wonderful live art by @wandverslag Ageeth & Monique, a scripted witty and thoughtful performance by @soulanotos and an interactive session with Sophie van Hoytema. I am a huge fan of blending academic arguments and debate with the creative in this way. It is often far more powerful than just back-to-back paper presentations and enables the exchange of ideas and networking organically. Thank you to Lidwien Poorthuis and colleagues for inviting me to join you and for the important work you are doing to highlight the experiences of women professors and support the next generation of scholars. An important network. #netherlands #inclusion #diversity #highereducation #professor #womenprofessionals #academia

I promised photos and so photos you shall have! It is difficult to know where to begin… …a huge congratulations @NaomiAKlein for being announced as the winner of the inaugural @womensprize for Non-fiction. Doppelgänger is an engaging, compelling and necessary read. It’s been a pleasure to read alongside my fellow judges: @annesebba @kamilashamsie @venetialamanna & our chair @sixteenthcgirl (Thank you for the pre-announcement huddle!) Enormous shout out to the one & only @katemossewriter for her energy & vision in establishing the long-standing fiction and now nonfiction prizes. Also to @clairemshanahan and team for all that is seen and not seen in organising and managing…well everything! The @WomensPrize Winners’ reception was a whirl of excitement & fun. I am thoroughly impressed we managed the first pic of the judges and authors and my guest Margaret Casey-Hayford. And, of course, many congratulations to all of the shortlisted authors: @madhumitav @noreen_masud @lauracummingart @tiyamiles @safiyasinclair Despite the rain and the chill, many a “woo hoo” and good time was had! #womensprize #womensprizeshortlist #nonfiction #womenwriters

Now the news is finally out, I can share some behind the scenes pics from our final non-fiction @womensprize judges’ meeting. Huge congratulations to @naomiaklein for being announced as the winner of the inaugural non-fiction prize and to all of the shortlisted authors Pic 2: non-fiction shortlist Pic 3: fiction shortlist Pic 4: where the magic happened! More photos to follow…

For some reason, we rarely talk about social class and race though some may recall the research I carried out with colleagues (Carol Vincent, David Gillborn, Stephen Ball) @ioelondon about the Black middle classes in the UK and their experiences of navigating their children through the education system. Our findings are detailed in the book ‘The Colour of Class: the educational strategies of the Black middle classes’ published by Routledge. I wrote a piece for @perspective_ig about this relationship between social class and race including how, as a child, I first gained awareness of my place within the class structure. For full article: see link in bio #diversity #socialclass #education #intersectionality

I enjoyed giving the keynote at AdvanceHE Equitas conference at the Technological University of the Shannon @tus_ire in #Limerick last week. I spoke about #intersectionality and racial justice, the Higher Education Authority’s guidance to Irish higher education institutions and, barriers to radical change. Thank you to those who approached me afterwards. The conversations about the #Traveller community and #policing , in particular, resonated. Photo 1 via @rcsi_edi

The @womensprize for Non-fiction judges were out in glorious force (bar @venetialamanna - we missed you!) at the Women’s Prize for Fiction party earlier this week. We enjoyed the company of the party sponsors @audible_uk and @baileysofficial plus authors, patrons, publishers… Congratulations once again to the shortlisted fiction and non fiction authors! I am still getting my head around this Instagram thing so please enjoy my photo dump without the snazzy graphics and flashing things! Pic 1: #WomensPrize for Non-fiction chair of judges @sixteenthcgirl @brendaemmanus Women’s Prize Founder & Dir @katemossewriter Pic 2: fellow Nonfiction judge @annesebba Women’s Prize Development Director Sophie Hussey (whose exquisite fluffy bag is just out of shot) Pic 3: @womensprize Exec Director @clairemshanahan Pic 4: a sparkling @lauraleedockrill Pic 5: @charlotte_philby @whatsarahreadnext [ @sixteenthcgirl I think we took photos with our fellow judge @kamilashamsie on your phone]

@runnymedetrust recently said goodbye to their long-standing Chair of Trustees Clive Jones. Although our paths crossed only a few times while I was at Runnymede, I was always very much aware of his mentorship and support. Runnymede remains one of the few places I felt I could bring my entire self to work. Given the remit, we engaged openly with the challenges, pain and successes of championing racial justice. To this day, it remains one of the very few spaces where I felt supported and was able to grow. Clive’s departure represents the end of an era and, though long overdue, it was sad to see him go. Pic 1: Clive with Runnymede’s Interim CEO Shabna Begum Pic 2: long time colleague and general cool guy Dr Omar Khan (former Runnymede CEO) offers a few words Pic 4: two middle aged former employees! #racialjustice #policy #community #antiracism #legacy

I am delighted to reveal the inaugural 2024 @womensprize for Non-Fiction shortlist sponsored by @findmypast ! Six books with wonderfully original voices, covering life writing, religion, art and history, AI, social media and online politics. Grab your copies, get lost in the pages and enjoy! It has been a joy discussing and exploring these books with fellow judges @sixteenthcgirl @venetialamanna @kamilashamsie & @annesebba Many warm congratulations to all six shortlisted authors: @noreen_masud @naomiaklein @lauracummingart @madhumitav @tiyamiles @safiyasinclair

I thoroughly enjoyed working with @CherrelleSkeete to develop & perform a scene from #TheRacialCode for my @bcaheritage author event last week. Cherrelle played the part of The Oracle the dark, raging, chilling character we meet in Chapter One of the book. Thank you for helping me reconnect with my creative side after some very long, data heavy strategy focused board meetings! After the performance, I had a probing and enjoyable fireside chat with Thee @nelsabbey . Thank you! My appreciation to @bcaheritage Issa Randall for helping stage the event, to @lisaandersonaa (BCA Director) and the great questions from the audience. PS photo ‘acquired’ with thanks from @lisaandersonaa

Oh what fun and mischief was had in the green room prior to Black Women Unedited event last night! More pics and details to follow but for now a huge thank you to the one and only @ladyphyll and the fabulous @novareidofficial (the song is for you!) and to our super host @brendaemmanus My appreciation to the team at @faneproductions for looking after us. Shout out also to @thehouseofkoko for their care and support. #Blackwomenunedited #blackwomen #women #womensupportingwomen #liberation

~ Frank Hester, Diane Abbott & the government ~ I rarely comment or agree to give interviews on race-related news items for four main reasons: - there is rarely sufficient time to do the item justice - it depends who is asking - it doesn’t seem to be the best use of our time (constantly explaining & re explaining racism) - I value my sanity and wellbeing However, Frank Hester’s comments about Diane Abbott were so abhorrent *and* the government’s reaction so woefully inadequate, that I said yes to appearing on @bbcnews to speak with @bbcmaryam ; yes to speaking with @bbcwomanshour Emma Barnett & yes to appearing on @channel4news with Martin Forde KC to be interviewed by Jackie Long. My position remains that the government failed to respond adequately to the alleged comments. They were not just “racist and wrong”. They were misogynistic and incite violence. And imagine, the government’s response came just weeks after the PM stood on the steps of Downing Street condemning “the forces trying to tear us apart”. The entire chilling affair could have been lifted from a chapter in my book ‘The Racial Code: tales of resistance and survival’. #frankhester #Hester #dianeabbott #racism #women #blackwomen #racialequity #racialjustice #gaslighting

It’s been a busy few weeks so I’ve not had time to share my thanks to @bcaheritage for making The Racial Code their book of the month. If I might be so bold, it offers useful & much needed context and analysis to the current gaslighting and madness around the various “interpretations” of Frank Hester’s alleged comments about Diane Abbott. #hester #TheRacialCode #bookofthemonth #racialjustice #racism #misogyny