Choose Inclusion. Choose empowering the exploited. Choose an SU that respects the Irish language. Choose LGBTQIA+ Sex Ed and events. Choose a multi-faith room.
Choose Saj Khan for Equality and Diversity
Equality and Diversity
I’m running to represent you as your Equality and Diversity Officer. I’ll bring my activist experience in BLM, XR and fighting for you in Solidarity Action Network during the referendum. I’m no stranger to challenging authority, and it’s time the Students’ Union had the same energy.
Empowering exploited students
Power is concentrated in rooms not representative of the student body. These people make decisions that impact all students, without being able to understand their unique experiences. By working with organisations like boardroom apprentices we will help to train and seek out diverse community members and help place them in positions of influence. The fight doesn’t end there, with ongoing strikes students are missing out on the education they paid for. By pushing a campaign to secure refunds for students affected by the strike, we can put pressure on the university to provide either compensation or the education promised by giving into UCU demands.
Bi-lingual signage in the SU
Put simply, there is no good reason why this isn’t already in place, the SU should be an inclusive space, and that means there needs to be Irish representation. An issue that shouldn’t be political, unfortunately is, and previous SU teams have conceded too much on this important issue that strikes at the heart of the divides in this country. I intend to work closely with Irish language groups to fight the bureaucracy holding this vital issue back. This is about more than just a language, this is about students having control over a Student’s Union building and taking a stand against sectarian politics.
LGBTQIA+ Relationship and Sex Education
We all know and have experienced the woeful lack of sex education in northern irish schools, and that's before you take into account LGBTQIA+ sex education which is practically non-existent. The sense of being lost at university in regards to sex and relationships is unfortunately the experience of many queer students. I will ensure that there are resources available to every student, which will include: social events such as LGBTQIA+ speed dating, History month and inviting speakers to give talks.
Multi-faith Prayer Room in the SU
QUB has a diverse student population and it's important for the SU to reflect that and accommodate the variety of faiths present. Providing a neutral room that is designated for religious, spiritual and contemplative meditation promotes inclusion and inter-faith dialogue, values that should be at the core of the university experience. The stresses of university are plentiful enough without feeling unrepresented, and so a multi-faith room would go a long way to helping students feel comfortable and included.
Regardless of background, students share one struggle - that being the ‘student experience’. For too long being a student has been associated with struggling, they are considered one and the same, and we are told to pull up our bootstraps and suffer for the years it takes to get our degrees.
Vote to empower students. Vote for an inclusive SU. Vote for the student experience you deserve.