Hi everyone! I’m Chris (he/him), and I’m running to be your next Campaigns and Democracy Officer at our SU.

Thanks for checking out my core manifesto! To see the full thing, click here and keep up to date with my campaign Instagram here - Vote Chris4Campaigns

I’m a PhD researching Black British and Caribbean radicalism, and its solidarity with the Palestinian People. I’ve been at UEA since 2017 and started studying part-time for my MA in American Studies while I held down a full-time job in Norwich. After graduating, I went straight into my PhD. This research builds on my years of experience in anti-racism and decolonisation, trade and community union, social, economic, and international justice, and human rights activism. I’m currently President of Palestinian Solidarity Society and I’ve been the President of DecoloniseUEA, Post-Grad Rep, and Vice President of Labour Society. I’ve also found time to run my own dog-walking business for the last two years too [@UEADoggos on Instagram].

Goals

One member one vote at Union Council

• Union Council is the democratic heart of the SU. Other than officer elections, it’s the most important way for you to have your say on how the SU runs – now and in years to come.
• Communities in our SU are underrepresented and diversity of thought within communities is reduced to a single vote.
• Every member of our SU should have a vote in the decision-making body of our Union.
• This adds democratic legitimacy to your decisions, encourages wider engagement from students, and means SU motions have extra weight when they call for change from the university or government.

Protect International students

• UEA is trying to bring more international students to study here with us.
• At the same time, the UK government is intentionally targeting international students making the UK less welcoming.
• In this increasingly hostile environment, it is more important than ever that the SU campaign against systems that target international students for suspicion.
• I’ll establish a “Know Your Rights with the Police” campaign with emphasis placed on getting international students confident in our community.
• I’ll campaign on a national level to oppose the Prevent strategy and any other government policy that targets foreign nationals, international, and racialised students.
• I’ll work to expand ‘Conflict Funds’ so that students whose home countries are experiencing issues that mean payments are difficult will not have their position at UEA threatened

Make your voice heard!

• From £20 graduation tickets to ignoring racialised students, it is clear we are not a priority for the University.
• Our SU policy sometimes clashes with the University. From harm reduction-based drugs policy to policies of anti-racism, I’ll campaign to bring the University policy in line with our democratic voice.
• We’ve seen the University ignore students' voices –look at the reduction to the Masters discount and the charge for graduation tickets.
• I advocate a more proactive approach to politics. As your C&D officer, I’ll foster protest, disruption, and non-violent confrontation with those who run the university to get changes made.