Antiracism & Inclusion Virtual Coffee Ideas Room

Welcome to my new initiative – ideas room with a coffee in your hand!

Virtual Coffee Ideas Room – image with a laptop, phone, diary, coffee and chocolate

For the past few years, I have found myself restrained by institutional policies which limit a free and safe space for People of Colour to speak of antiracism and inclusivity. In 2022, I have started to work on a few projects, mostly initiated in solo, or with a few collaborators.

OER flashcards for digital equity https://bit.ly/3s6IUUK
Celebrating small steps in HE https://bit.ly/3gL7CHM
Skip your sleep, it is 23:59 https://bit.ly/3zmrvvf
Safe spaces & reverse mentoring (private project)

I have noticed that over the years the toxic working environment in academia has resulted in good ideas being lost, and the pandemic has just made it worst. I have created the Antiracism & Inclusion Virtual Coffee Ideas Room as an action-learning initiative created that will support idea-to-action projects.

Specifics of the Virtual Coffee Ideas Room

Strictly on an invite-only basis
Strictly for people of colour only who regularly discuss/work on antiracism
25 or 50 minutes and no longer
Your favourite non-alcoholic drink/cookie – without a cookie or on the bed, no worries.
Collaboration is a must (in the long run)

Why discuss antiracism and inclusion ideas over a hot drink and cookie?

To have a safe space to discuss antiracist and inclusive ideas
To gain momentum and support to convert the ideas into tangible projects
To gain input and feedback on projects
To get collaborators
To seek a mentor or mentor someone if necessary
If you have ideas but do not feel you can lead the project, you can get someone to lead the project
If you need someone to be your voice, rest assured your voice will be heard
Feel empowered to do projects that matter to you personally

Participating in the virtual coffee ideas room

Participation is diverse too:

You may already have 1 or 2 cookies ready to be eaten, and will ask for more cookies from others in the future.
You have no cookie right now, will be happy if others share their cookies for some time.
You are hungry, thirsty, and just waiting to have food for thought together with everyone.
Coffee or cookie or anything else, you are just hungry and thirsty, you are a human after all.

One underlying reflection for the ideas room is: