Past events

Covid-19 Community Support Screenings – Queer Asia in Collaboration with EmbRace and Spectrum at the LSE

EmbRace and Spectrum, are collaborated with Dr Daniel Luther (LSE), one of the founders of Queer Asia, in the screening of four films, each of which were followed by a public Q&A with their director. 

Blackness and Wellness Workshops

We successfully delivered two online self-care workshops for Black staff and students this month. Over 40 staff and students benefitted from the workshop. Additional well-being sessions are being planned to continue to support Black and minority ethnic staff with dealing with the emotional and mental triggers that occurs through daily microaggressions and racism.

White Ally, Whiteness and White Fragility Workshops

We delivered the first series of White Fragility and White Ally training. We are planning on delivering more training and plan to create a set of follow up initiatives to continue to empower everyone at LSE to tackle racism.

COVID-19: Impact on LSE BAME Community (workshop and discussion) and COVID-19 Return to Work Meeting

We published a set of findings on the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic community and recommendations on return to campus planning. To complement this, we held an online Q&A session with Andrew Young (COO) and Julian Robinson (Director of Estates) which had an impressive turnout of 100+ Black and minority ethnic staff!

Key points were raised about welfare of frontline staff such as cleaners and security staff, Equality Impact Assessments and risk assessments and the role of managers. Andrew and Julian will review recommendations and concerns as part of the Return to Campus planning. 

Introduction to Developing & Maintaining Self-Value - Tuesday 18 February 

The workshop will gave attendees an introduction to the key benefits of developing and maintaining a high level of Self Value.

LSE Spectrum and LSE EmbRace ‘Paris is Burning’ Film Screening - Friday 21 February 

LSE Embrace and LSE Spectrum held a film screening of “Paris is Burning”, a documentary film that chronicles the ball culture of New York City and the African-American, Latinx, gay and transgender communities involved in it. The screening was followed by a Q & A session and a drinks reception.

In November 2019, we held a fun, interactive and informative workshop to support staff with understanding of financial management, gaining financial freedom and leaving a secure financial legacy for future generations. The financial educators were Niaomi Collett, Company Director and Property Developer, and Daryl Harper, Executive Vice President and Inspirational Speaker.

Black Pedagogy: Teaching Race in Higher Education

Tuesday 1st October 2019 

LSE EmbRace & Department of Sociology presents "Black Pedagogy: Teaching Race in Higher Education" for Black History Month 2019

To mark the beginning of Black History Month 2019, academics considered the increasing relevance and need for black and racial studies in Higher Education from a range of disciplinary perspectives.

UCL Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology Tour

Friday 4th October 2019

The Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology in London is part of University College London Museums and Collections. The museum contains over 80,000 objects and ranks among some of the world's leading collections of Egyptian and Sudanese materials.

Lunchtime Screening of The Unwanted: The Secret Windrush Files

Wednesday 16th October 2019

David Olusoga opens secret government files to show how the Windrush scandal and the ‘hostile environment’ for black British immigrants has been 70 years in the making. 

Hidden Figures Screening

Wednesday 23rd October 2019

An event organised by EmbRace and LSE's Data and Technology Services

A lunchtime screening based on the true lives of Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and Katherine Gobels Johnson, who were part of the team of female African-American mathematicians tasked with the momentous launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, and his safe return.

Lunch and Learn Lectures by EmbRace

During BHM 2019, we hosted a series of free one-hour lunchtime talks, where attendees could bring their lunch and hear BAME LSE academics and student speakers from across the School's Departments and Centres talk about their own research.

'Silencing the subject: Barriers to defendant participation in criminal trials'-
Dr Abenaa Owusu-Bempah, Department of Law, Monday 14 October

'Decolonising the Curriculum and BAME Attainment Gap' -
Dr Sara Camacho Felix, International Inequalities Institute, Monday 28 October

'Youth Citizenship in Brexit Britain: Challenges and Opportunities' - 
Dr Sam Mejias, Department of Media and Communications, Tuesday 29 October

In April 2019, we hosted our first joint event of the year with Spectrum, LSE's LGBT staff network. Screening the award winning 'Moonlight' we were able to explore and discuss the complexitites that come with being a black gay man. Our panelists included academics Dr Clive James Nwonka & Dr Sam Mejias, film critic Kelli Weston and LGBT activist Dennis Carney.

Black British Feminism: past, present and future, hosted by LSE Library in collaboration with LSE EmbRace

We hosted a roundtable discussion with academics, activists, writers, and politicians reflecting on Black British feminism in the past, present, and future. 

Speakers: Dawn Butler M.P. and Dr Suki Ali discussed the challenges and opportunities facing Black British Feminism with Dr Imaobong Umoren.

'Crowning Glory' - an evening of education, celebration and growth

The 'Crowning Glory' event included a chronological static exhibition, showcasing hairstyles throughout history. There was also a panel discussion, with leading entrepreneurs to discuss:

• Health and Well-Being of Hair
• The Economic Strand
• Celebrate the uniqueness and magic of Afro roots

On Thursday 26 Febrary 2015, LSE EMBRACE is hosted a Chinese New Year celebration which featured Chinese arts and music, a talk on the Chinese 'Zodiac' and refreshments.

The event was supported by Confucius Institute for Business London (CIBL).

An evening of black history celebrated through spoken word featuring guests:

JJ Soul X (Poet & Singer as seen on The Voice UK

BE Manzini (Poet, Producer and Journalist for the British Blacklist

Leonn (Outstansing Soul, Jazz musician)

and guest speakers

Dr Dave Robinson

This event included a film screening of the award winning film 'Beauty is' by educator Toyin Agbetu.

Globally the standard is the notion that the more closely associated a person is with European features, the more attractive he or she is considered 

The summer party took place on Wednesday 23 July 2014 in the NAB. The event provided an opportunity for EMBRACE members and the wider LSE community to mingle.

The LSE Space for Thought Literary Festival 2014: Reflections took place from Monday 24 February – Saturday 1 March 2014.

Continuing with the Festival’s theme of ‘reflections’, LSE Embrace/Spectrum invited guests to write (or draw) ‘reflections of self’ as they see themselves in relation to the ‘big wide world’.

EMBRACE held a film season on Wednesdays throughout September and October 2013.

The informal social gatherings were organised to promote mutual understanding in cultural differences and diversity. The films screened were:

• The Great Debaters
• Life is Beautiful
• In the Mood for Love
• Beloved
• The Last King of Scotland.

In celebration of the first anniversary of its launch, EMBRACE is hosted a staff network conference with the theme "Experiences of BAME people in Higher Education and shaping the future" featuring guest speakers.

The event took place on Thursday 3 May 2012 and details can be found here.

EMBRACE also hosted an event entitled "Social Diversity within the workplace", with speaker is Rapahel Mokades, the founder and Managing Director of Rare Recruitment, an organisation whose mission is to “help the best employers in the world build workforces of brilliant people that reflect society's diversity.”

EMBRACE hosted an event entitled "What were black people doing in World War I" as part of Black History Month.

Tony Warner of Black History Walks gave a presentation of the crucial role played by men and women from Africa, Asia and the Caribbean during WWI.

EMBRACE held a Chocolate Masterclass and Tasting in May 2011 as part of Adult Learners' Week.

The event included a talk by Paul Wayne Gregory followed by a chocolate making demonstration and a chocolate tasting session.

Also as part of Adult Learners' Week in May 2011, EMBRACE hosted Black History Tour of the St Paul's area. 

The unique walk took in side streets and back alleys that one would never see from the main road. Hidden connections between Africa, the diaspora and the infrastructure of ancient and modern London were revealed, as well as how African names came to be given to streets and areas. 

The visual imagery of London was observed, as were the obvious African influences, which are so often ignored or missed altogether.

On Thursday 31st March, 2011 EMBRACE held its official launch. The Chair of EMBRACE, Daniel Beckley, opened with a heartfelt speech, outlining how the group was formed and arrived at this point, the dedication and commitment of members and its hopes for the future.

Professor George Gaskell, Pro-Director (Research and Planning) welcomed everyone to the event.  He spoke about diversity initiatives at the LSE and the School's stance on equality and diversity issues. He also spoke about the new Equality and Diversity Ad-Hoc Committee, how and why it was formed and its membership. It was encouraging to hear that the School looks on equality and diversity with such positivity and importance, and the progress being made in these areas at LSE.

The evening's keynote speaker was the Honourable Mrs Justice Dobbs. Justice Dobbs is an LSE alumnus and member of the LSE Court of Governors.  She holds a number of honours which include being the first black person to be appointed a high court judge in the UK.  Her speech focused on the Equality Act 2010; its background, importance and place at LSE. She spoke of how encouraging it is to have a network of this nature at LSE, and the importance of networking and mentoring amongst peers, which is very much at the heart of EMBRACE's ethos.