I once had a class at university on Biomaterials. This class was lead by the Professor, middle-aged man with wiry white hair and a mumbling tone. He held up an A4 sheet of paper and asked the class whether a sheet of paper be a good candidate material for a skin graft. No one in the class volunteered to answer his question so he prompted us, "What about the mechanical properties, how about the thickness? How about the colour? Is it a good colour match for a skin graft? I see we are all white-ish in this class. [PAUSE] Well, except for you, Rebecca..."* Awkwardness ensues and I shrink into my chair.
When you are a minority, there is always a resounding sense of "otherness". Normally it's an undertone that is simmering in the background, but other times it slaps you around the face. It's a jarring reminder that you are in a system that is not designed for you. This white-sheet-of-paper moment was one of these reminders. I was the only non-white person in the room. I was an afterthought.
Privilege is a cornerstone of the Oxford experience. To attend Oxford University is a privilege in itself, but once you are there, it is evident that some people are significantly more privileged than others. For centuries, it has been been an experience only available to a select few. The student body may become more diverse every year, but the institution has centuries of inertia to unwind. Despite years of campaigning, it ultimately took the death of another black man at the hands of the police to catalyse the removal of the statue of Cecil Rhodes from Oriel College. But Rhodes is only the tip of the iceberg. I hope that this renewed focused on anti-racism will spur on real change. It gave me the confidence to share this story, which unfortunately is one story of many. I encourage you to do the same.
*Paraphrased as I cannot remember exactly what was said due to the overwhelming second-hand cringe.
