{"id":193,"date":"2022-07-18T10:13:53","date_gmt":"2022-07-18T09:13:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/student-news\/?p=193"},"modified":"2025-07-30T09:19:51","modified_gmt":"2025-07-30T08:19:51","slug":"kent-star-cultural-connector","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/student-news\/2022\/07\/18\/kent-star-cultural-connector\/","title":{"rendered":"Kent Star: Cultural Connector"},"content":{"rendered":"

This month\u2019s Kent Star is Grace Ingram, who organised and led a \u201cMixed Roots\u201d event to help individuals discuss their experiences of coming from multiple and undefined cultural and ethnic backgrounds, celebrating these often-overlooked identities. Hear from Cultural Connector Grace:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u201cHi, I\u2019m Grace Ingram. I\u2019m doing an MSc in Conservation Project Management. I\u2019m part of the Postgraduate Network and I work at Oaks Nursery on campus.\u00a0A fun fact about me is I have a playlist for everything. I love music! I played viola and violin for 11 years.\u00a0Music is still a big part of my life, even beyond classical compositions, which I mostly just listen to when I\u2019m studying or working on assignments. When I\u2019m angry I listen to rap and when I\u2019m energized I listen to Golden Oldies Motown. There\u2019s a song for every mood!\u201d<\/p>\n

Can you tell us about the \u201cMixed Roots\u201d project?<\/h3>\n

\u201d \u2018Mixed Roots\u2019 was an informal conversation with individuals coming from multiple and undefined cultural and ethnic backgrounds speaking on their experiences. Panellists from four main backgrounds (diaspora communities, biracial individuals, Third Culture Kids, and adoptees) answered various questions in a relaxed on-stage atmosphere. I organised the event and also spoke on my experiences as a transracial international adoptee.<\/p>\n

The event was a \u2018fishbowl\u2019 discussion \u2013 fishbowls are frequently called the \u2018unconference\u2019. Unlike traditional panels that prioritise making the audiences feel comfortable, fishbowls encourage the audience to suspend their own feelings and rationale to listen with the intention of understanding, rather than responding.<\/p>\n

This event was made possible due to the generosity of the Graduate and Researcher College\u2019s Postgraduate Community Experience Awards. However, this event was created because of the vast amount of people falling into these plural and undefined identities, but the lack of collective representation for them here on campus and in broader society. \u2018Mixed Roots\u2019 presented an opportunity to listen and humanize individuals with conflicting identities and conflicting senses of community\u2014 taking the conversation beyond that evening.<\/p>\n

Following the event, we collected general feedback from audience members:<\/p>\n

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  • 78% of respondents said prior to Mixed Roots they had not been provided with opportunities to learn about these backgrounds at Kent.<\/li>\n
  • 100% of respondents said they would like more opportunities to learn about and celebrate \u2018mixed roots\u2019 with many interested in incorporating various topics into the discussion alongside race and culture including: gender & sexuality; religion & faith; politics; pop culture & current events; & mental health.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Many respondents also expressed an interest in seeing additional collaborations with future mixed roots events with: LGBTQ+ Network\/ Society; A specific racial\/ethnic society; Women\u2019s Network; Faith Network; International Network; Accessibility Network; Student Support and Wellbeing.<\/p>\n

    This feedback points us in the right trajectory regarding future \u2018Mixed Roots\u2019 events which is very exciting!\u201d<\/p>\n