As the current Campaigns and Activities Officer and a Palestinian student who received a scholarship for my MSc in Psychology.I felt no form of protection, witnessing racism, xenophobia, and sexism. When you do not feel protected, it is easier to intimidate you; this is why I want to fight for safe student spaces. Seeing the potential within our student community to enact change, advocate for inclusivity, and foster a vibrant campus life has inspired me to run for the Wellbeing and Liberation Sabbatical Officer role, I aim to create inclusive and supportive spaces for all students. My manifesto is built on key pillars: accessibility, empowerment, housing, and solidarity.

1. Accessibility 

I have worked with sports clubs and liberation groups to break down barriers to accessibility and ensure student voices are heard. My work includes:

• Working with the disabilities officer to improve accessibility in the SU building (doors and fire exits). 

• Collaborating with the CARE project, students, and Liberation Groups to campaign access to contraception, abortion, gender-based violence protection, prevention and awareness of HIV, and accessibility in sports.

I will continue supporting Liberation Officers in planning and implementing their ideas, increasing autonomy and participation in liberation groups, and driving meaningful dialogue and action on critical student challenges. I also intend to continue working on making the university spaces and events more accessible.

2. Empowerment

Students are an essential part of what makes Goldsmiths the radical and critical community it is. Students, particularly international in higher education, are often treated as commodities by the institution. I aim to create a supportive and powerful environment for students through:

• Holding more culturally significant events to celebrate and recognise international students. This year, we ran a successful Lunar New Year event; I plan to hold similar events to celebrate cultural diversity. 

• Amplify student voices and ensure their concerns are not overlooked or dismissed, i.e. working to remove barriers such as CAS delays and lobbying against the marketisation of higher education. I have worked on many student cases regarding welfare, academia, and housing, and I aim to continue my work next year.

3. Housing

Looking for housing can be challenging and leave a mental and financial toll on students and their university experience. My relevant work this year:

• I started a housing board where students can list spare rooms or specify their housing needs, making it easier to connect students. 

• Held multiple housing events to help students find flatmates and know their renting rights.

I will work to integrate improved and innovative housing support into the student union’s website and hold events to make the flat-hunting experience less stressful.

4. Solidarity

Many students come from regions affected by political conflict and face unique struggles. Goldsmiths is known for its politically conscious student body. I will work to:

• Foster greater political engagement among liberation groups by raising awareness about global struggles while highlighting how overlapping systems of oppression shape these struggles to start a meaningful dialogue, take action, and build a shared sense of community and activism on campus.

• Advocate for tailored support services that address the needs of students, ensuring students affected by conflict receive culturally sensitive support, ensuring they feel seen, heard, and cared for, either through personalised well-being services or indirectly through more inclusive extenuating circumstances policies, ensuring students receive fair treatment to overcome challenges and enhance their student experience.

• Increase awareness and engagement with the GARA fund.

I am enthusiastic to work towards these goals. It is your vote and our future, and I am asking you to unite our voices and vote for me.