Students of colour at Oxford University have launched a picture-led initiative to share the struggles they face on a daily basis at the prestigious institution.
The project was inspired by the recent ‘I, too, am Harvard’ initiative, which the founders of the Oxford campaign say "resonated with a sense of communal disaffection that students of colour at Oxford have with the University".
"A message that was consistently reaffirmed throughout the day was that students in their daily encounters at Oxford are made to feel different and Othered from the Oxford community," an explanation on the 'I, too, am Oxford' Tumblr read.
A spokesperson for the campaign said: "Hopefully this project will demonstrate that despite there being a greater number of students of colour studying at Oxford now than there has ever been before, there are still issues that need to be discussed. In participating in “I, Too, Am Oxford”, students of colour are demanding that a discussion on race be taken seriously and that real institutional change occur.
"It was truly encouraging and exciting day. We are excited to see the positive reaction and enthused by the possibilities of where this project will lead."
I, Too, Am Oxford
A spokesperson for Oxford University said: “As ‘I, too, am Oxford’ site correctly states, the University now has more black and minority ethnic students than ever before. We are committed to listening to our students and establishing what more can be done to ensure a fully inclusive experience for them.
"To that end, we held a Race Equality Summit this week where senior University members met with students and heard presentations about their experiences, raising many of the same points highlighted on the site. As a result, staff and students have agreed to continue working together, building on the Summit’s momentum to deliver the best possible academic and social experience for all Oxford students."