Students and academics from the University of Oxford have rallied together from across disciplines, colleges and departments to sign an open letter in a show of solidarity with Jason Osamede Okundaye, a Cambridge University student.
If you are a student or academic at Oxford, and want to show Jason your support, fill out the google form here.
Read the letter below:
On 29 July 2017, a 20 year-old student at the University of Cambridge, Jason Osamede Okundaye, posted a series of tweets about endemic white racism in the United Kingdom. Jason is the President of the Black and Ethnic Minority Campaign at the University of Cambridge.
Providing context to his tweets, Jason explained:
“The tweet was conflated with my separate tweets which supported the Dalston protests and my support of activism which seeks justice against police brutality.”
These tweets have been met with a hostile response from media outlets such as The Telegraph and The Daily Mail . Furthermore, the police began an investigation, before stating We do not believe that there is a realistic proposition of a conviction for any offence. Any investigation is now in the hands of the university ”. Jason’s College at Cambridge, Pembroke, – his primary source of pastoral support – has said: “The College is looking into this matter and will respond appropriately.”
Media misconstrual and marginalisation of the work of student activists in the United Kingdom is nothing new. At our institution, the University of Oxford, students such as Ntokozo Qwabe – one of the organising members of Rhodes Must Fall in Oxford – faced repeated harassment and hostility over the course of 2015-2016.
We, as students and academics at the University of Oxford, join those expressing solidarity with Jason, and encourage others to do the same. We have seen the way that student anti-racist activist work has been treated in the past. That treatment and the coverage of Jason’s tweets are reminders of the anti-blackness and institutional racism that endures in this country, too often left uninterrogated within institutions of learning including Oxford and Cambridge.
How are marginalised students to address racism if they are prevented from publicly identifying it? The right to freedom of speech ought to extend to all members of the academic community, not just a privileged few. We encourage the British public to speak out on Jason’s behalf: this is a moment to reflect on the advantages conferred on white people in the United Kingdom, the ongoing legacies of colonisation, and the ways that anti-black racism persist.
We call on Pembroke College, Cambridge, to offer its support to Jason. We call on The Telegraph and the Daily Mail to issue an apology to Jason.
We stand with Jason.
Signed,
Campaigns
Members of Common Ground Oxford
Members of Rhodes Must Fall Oxford
Members of RISE Oxford
Students and Academics
Alex Jacobs
Alice Irving
Alice Townson
Amia Srinivasan
Anastasya Larasati
Andrew Dean
Annie Hayter
Ayomide Thomas
Beth Davies-Kumadiro
Blue Weiss
Brita Kvalsvik
Cameron Alexander
Cameron Spain
Carol Que
Charlotte Haley
Charlotte Quinney
Daisy Cockrean
Daisy Porter
Dalia Gebrial
Daniel Iley-Williamson
Dina Khadum
Ebubechi Okpalugo
Elena Casale
Elizabeth Paskin
Elizabeth Yuill
Edward Tolmie
Ella Sackville Adjei
Ella Taylor-Fagan
Fabian Fatodu
Frances Whorrall-Campbell
Gazelle Mba
Grace Barrington
Georgina Ramsay
Giles Chambers
Hannah Cribben
Hilal Yazan
Hope Oloye
Isabella Cullen
Jack Cooper
Jacob Omorodion
Jaycie Carter
Jazza McMillan-Clenaghan
Jeremy Bosatta
Jessyca Hutchens
Joel Baxter
John Livesey
Josephine Bailey
Karan Katoch
Karma Nabulsi
Kate Tunstall
Kiran Hussain
Kirsten Rowe
Kurein Parel
Kwaku Abrefabusia
Laura Chapman
Lilith Newton
Liora Lazarus
Magdalena Goralska
Marek Sullivan
Marral Shamshiri-Fard
Max Harris
Megan Knock
Mia Liyanage
Michael Burns
Michael Sackur
Miina Hiillovskivi
Mobeen Salih
Molly Moore
Mouki Kambouroglu
Myah Popat
Natalie Nzeyimana
Naomi Packer
Ndjodi Ndeunyema
Neha Shah
Niloo Sharifi
Nomfundo Ramalekana
Noon Altijani
Paige Woods
Peggy Reeder
Penelope Ehrhardt
Philippa Lawford
Princess Ashilokun
Rebecca Buxton
Richard Compton
Robert Fraser
Rosie Crawford
Rufus Rock
Sanya Samtani
Sara El-Solh
Sara Yassi
Saskia Thomas
Simran Uppal
Simukai Chigudu
Shreya Lakhani
Sudhir Hazareesingh
Sunya Aslam
Taiwo Oyebola
Tash Jones
Temitope Ajileye
Tobi Olaitan
Tobi Thomas
Trim Lamba
Vuyane Mhlomi
Wes Williams
Will Andrews
Yashwina Canter
Zara Baker
Zara Markovic-Obiago
Common Ground Oxford 