Law students Khaliq Martin and Siena Phillips, together with their team in the Afro-Diasporic Legal Network (ADLN), have been awarded a Community Scholarship for a project called ‘Black Discussion Series’ which aims to empower and uplift BME students at Kent.
What is the ADLN?
The ADLN is a collective of law students that encompass the intersection of being Black and from the African-Diaspora. Khaliq and Siena say it was created in recognition of a lack of Black legal supportive infrastructures at Kent despite the fact that such systems exist in many institutions. The network aims to provide opportunities for Black students in the academic/professional legal sphere, to conduct knowledge exchanges, and provide peer-to-peer support in hopes of decreasing the social attainment gap at the University recognised in the 2016 EDI Report.
The network was developed with three principles in mind:
- to support the political and legal education of Black law students
- to provide academic, career, and wellness support
- and to continue to push the bounds of inclusion for black students.
As an informal society the network is not registered with Kent Union.
What is the ADLN’s Black Discussion Series?
The Black Discussion Series is a pilot project that was developed by the ADLN after an internal assessment, conducted by its committee, highlighted that black students suffered from anxiety and stress as a result of institutional shortcomings. The Series seeks to mitigate these pressures which correlate with the social attainment gaps recognised by the EDI Report.
The discussions are designed for young black men, women, and non-gender binary individuals to deconstruct their university experience through a space created to resolve issues, establish peer-to-peer support, and incorporate academic dialogue from a political/legal lens.
For further information, email: afrodiasporiclegalnetwork@gmail.com
Black Men’s discussion cohort
Every Friday from 12-2pm in ROOM ESR3 – ELIOT (until Friday 3 April)
Black Women’s discussion cohort
Every Wednesday from 3-5pm in ROOM E.BIRD – ELIOT (until Wednesday 1 April)
