Who am I?
My name is Alex Mormoris I am the global majority leader at the University of the West of England within the department of health and applied sciences. I volunteer for Nilaar a local mental health charity which aims to serve the global majority within Bristol. I am on BCFM co-hosting the one love morning show every Thursday morning.
What did I know about race, migration, racism beforehand? Your opinions and what was learnt from formal education?
Before I came on the course I know a lot about race and racism but less about migration. My job requires me to maintain a contemporary understanding of how race and racism asserts itself, particularly within higher education. The curious thing about higher education is that it often bares the fruit of societal inequality. I know the systematic nature of racism that investigating individual episodes of prejudice is important but will not solve the problem. I understand racism within the west has its origins as a system of categorisation propelled into a zeitgeist wrestling with capitalism and religious dogma at a time of slavery. I realise the invasive totality of racism that even those long suffering under its boot heel will parrot its rhetoric, epitomised by the colonial mentality. I understand about critical race theory and the implementation within the fight for race equality. I understand the use of intersectionality and the roles in which class, gender, religion, sexual orientation all interweave into discrimination and peoples experience of racism. I know about the history of the fight for race equality and the relationship with economics. I was aware of the long history of migration to the UK but I didn’t know about the record office. I didn’t learn much about racism from formal education or history outside of Europe, I learnt about the different rates in diagnosis for schizophrenia diagnosis but not about the role of racism.
What experience if any do you have
I didn’t have much experience of interviewing the public I have conducted some interviews for academic purposes using a basic handheld audio recorder however all of these were students.
I also didn’t have any experience of conducting archival research I have done some research for university work but never with primary sources.
Day 1:
I learnt Edson is amazing and there is a need to talk about race and for people to speak their truth on the matter. In a way I’m lucky to be able to do that so much. It made me think about the generational gap. Michael
Day 2:
I learnt about the archives, their location how to use them and how to interpret old documents in the present light of day.
Day 3:
I learnt so much from Michael and the use of camera’s and audio equipment
Day 4:
I learnt more about bringing it all together and developing an editorial 6th/8th sense. I was also given time to reflect on the week and what I have experienced.
This course has reaffirmed my understanding that there is a need for high quality accessible information around race as a topic as a thing. It made me also realise that I’ve been incredibly lucky to have access to the resources and people that I do and there is a need to communicate the encounters which I do have as accessibly as possible.