On 6 March, The Badger interviewed several candidates in the Sussex Student Unions’ Leadership Elections, including those for Diversity, Access and Participation Officer.
This role will involve representing and supporting students from marginalised groups, such as BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) students, students of faith, LGBTQ+ students, women students, trans students, non-binary students, students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds and students with disabilities.
Voting is open now on the Elections page of the Sussex Student Unions’ website until 5 pm on Friday 15 March. The results will be announced at 6 pm on Friday 15 March.
DISCLAIMER: The candidates featured in this article are the ones who attended The Badger’s media day on 6 March. You can see the full list of candidates and their manifestos on the Elections page of the Sussex Student Unions’ website.
Amelia Ghadi
Amelia Ghadi is the current LGBTQ+ Officer and describes herself as “an attentive listener and a proactive problem solver.” If elected, she would like to “cultivate a culture of kindness, understanding, and acceptance within our educational community.” This would involve actively combatting systemic racism and promoting inclusivity by developing the Race Equity Advocate scheme, and “moving away from outdated terms like BAME.” Ghadi believes that she is “capable of being the person to take a stand and be the voice of the people.”
Chandni Sai Ganesh
Chandni Sai Ganesh is a candidate in the slate ‘Shake Up Sussex’ who describes her approach as “intersectional and rooted in social justice.” She uses the motto ‘ABC’ which stands for “action, not metaphor; building and bridging access; and community engagement.” If elected, she would like to decolonise the University curriculum, improve access for disabled students, and improve engagement for all students including those who are mature, community or with children.
Simran Bhatia
Simran Bhatia is the current part-time BAME Officer, Station Manager for University Radio Falmer, and member of the slate ‘Strive’. Her primary policies include ensuring diverse representation on committees, advocating for BAME students’ mental health, and collaborating with Race Equity Advocates to acheive curriculum decolonisation. Bhatia is also “advocating for the renaming of the BAME officer title, to bring clarity and inclusivity” since the term “feels isolating.”
