Co(l)laboratory Researcher Profiles
Project Title: Exploring the history of Black social housing activism in Nottingham and its implications for future literature, policy and practice
What were you doing before starting this PhD?
As co-founder of a housing organisation, and with a career in economic development and urban regeneration I decided to apply and undertake the Co(l)laboratory Citizen Science Programme in 2023. Coming from a non-academic background but having held senior positions throughout my career, I was like a fish out of water. However, I successfully completed the programme, at which point I was at a bit of a crossroads. The experience was a challenge on many levels that also provided me with new insights and perspectives. I thoroughly enjoyed that stage of my journey and I am excited about the next stage, through the opportunity that Co(l)laboratory has provided.
What motivated you to apply for this specific PhD project?
I have a longstanding interest in the subject. There are so many unsung heroes from black and other racialised minority communities that played a significant role in addressing racial and housing inequality, and in shaping the political landscape of this country. The stories and voices of these unsung heroes and heroines remain hidden, but their history is entwined within the history of the civil society movement and the growth of the social housing movement.
What difference do you hope to make in Nottingham through this research?
The research will enable a wider section of community to access material that has been academically scrutinised, providing an account of the power of collective action, and the role that place-based, community-led solutions could offer to marginalised communities. It will provide a complimentary historical account of a period in British History researched through a non-white lens and using a mixed method approach that includes oral history, archive material, and lived experience.
What do you hope to be doing in 5 years’ time? (personally and/or professionally)
I hope to be having even more fun, to have widened my understanding of people and the world we live in, and to have honed my skills and expertise gained through the PhD to shape the future of housing provision nationally and internationally.