JMS Annual Conference 2024
Our second annual conference took place on 24-25 June 2024 in the James McCune Smith Lecture Theatre.
The conference was chaired by the JMS scholars and featured inspiring speakers from the Black community, and provided an important opportunity for the scholars to share their work. This year's conference theme was 'Creating Circles: Finding Yourself and Others'. The aim was to showcase the realities of being a Black scholar in academia and the importance of developing various community networks.
Schedule
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Day 1: Monday 24 June
| 09.30 | Registration |
| 10.20 | Conference opens |
| 10.30 | Welcome address: Councillor Graham Campbell |
| 10.40 | JMS Scholar presentations: Kwame Amoah-Boateng, Yohannes Marshall, Taylar Carty, Rachel Isaiah, Dorcas Fakile |
| 11.05 | Guest Speaker: Dr Francesca Sobande is a writer and senior lecturer in digital media studies at Cardiff University, where her teaching focuses on critical approaches to media, music, and meme culture studies. She is also the co-author/co-dreamer with Layla-Roxanne hill of Black Oot Here: Black Lives in Scotland. |
| 11.40 | Break |
| 12.00 | JMS Scholar presentations: Pheona Matovu, Shylet Njanike, Alphaeus Ngonga, Caitlin Knox |
| 12.20 | Guest speaker: Professor Jason Gill is a Professor in Cardiometabolic Health at the University of Glasgow. With over 200 peer-reviewed papers, his research delves into the epidemiology of lifestyle factors, particularly physical activity, diet, and sleep, and their impact on cardiometabolic risks. |
| 12.55 | Lunch |
| 14.00 | JMS Scholar presentations: Connor Sullivan, Jamie Gladstone, Adelaide Lunga, Adebolaji Kudirat Nimyel |
| 14.20 | Guest Speaker: Dr Gabriella Beckles-Raymond, Senior Fellow of Advanced Higher Education (SFHEA), is an independent interdisciplinary philosopher, writer, educator, wife, mother, sister, friend, basketball coach, and Co-CEO of EQBR. Her work has been published internationally in a range of journals, books and commissioned reports. |
| 14.55 | JMS Scholar Presentations: Umloda Ibrahim, Leslie Thompson, Okunade Oluwajuwon, Rose Kitoyi, Zaki El-Salahi |
| 15.20 | Break |
| 15.40 | Panel |
| 16.20 | Information on JMS Network and upcoming events. |
| 16.30 | Poetry Reading: Hannah Lavery is a poet and playwright from Edinburgh, named by Owen Sheers as one of the Ten Writers Asking Questions That Will Shape Our Future. Her debut poetry collection Blood Salt Spring (Polygon) was nominated for a Saltire Prize in 2022. |
| 16.45 | Drinks reception and canapes |
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Day 2: Tuesday 25 June
| 10.00 | Registration |
| 10.30 | Welcome address: Lisa Williams (online) |
| 10.40 | Titambire: In this workshop poet Tawona Sitholé will invite the audience to engage with their creativity through movement, drama, and spoken word. In an interactive experience, participants will have a chance to embody their creativity, and taste the Ndau and Shona languages of Zimbabwe. Considering the body as a site of our experiences and expression, this activity explores knowledge through the creative arts to help us consider what it means to be present in a multicultural/multilingual world. |
| 11.05 | Break |
| 11.20 | Option 1 An invitation to Reconnect, Rest & Reset, with Satya Dunning: explore reconnecting with your body through rest, resourcing, and relationship with the ground and space using breath, awareness, and inward listening. Explore a new and fresh take on the question 'how are you?' by orienting towards felt bodily sensations of your internal resources, and maybe engaging in some gentle movement. Use this practice as support and a tool for self-connection in your daily life, and to reframe your relationship with your body, self, and the present moment. Please wear loose comfortable clothing, and layers. Bring a journal or pen and paper. Option 2 Voices of the Scholars: JMS Scholars share insights into their work, their experiences and reflections from Year 2 of their PhD projects and life at Glasgow. |
| 11.55 | Creole Cuisines: Honouring Our Ancestors. Dr Peggy Brunache will lead the audience with a culinary trip through slave cuisines as its developed into global cherished dishes of the African Diaspora. The audience will have the opportunity to taste the food made during the event. All food prepared will be suitable for vegans. |
| 12.30 | Lunch |
| 13.30 | Option 1 Yoruba Sonic - Steveen Ulysee, Amina Lawal-Agoro and Pelumi Odubanjo: Yoruba Sonic is a sound-based performance event held at Glasgow International. It explored Yoruba systems of knowledge and anti-colonial method of pedagogy, Incorporating sonic elements, live sound, and performance into a presentation. Join the co-ordinators Steveen, Amina and Pelumi as they reflect upon the event. Option 2 An invitation to reconnect, rest and reset with Satya Dunning (as above). |
| 14.00 | Option 1 Decolonisation, Community Engagement and New Methodologies at the Hunterian Museum: join Director of the Hunterian Museum, Steph Scholten, as he provides a tour around Curating Discomfort and other exhibitions at the Hunterian, discussing new methodologies, community engagement and decolonisation. Option 2 In conversation with Dr Adetunmise Dada: join JMS Scholars Shaun and Rose as they speak with Dr Dada about his radio programme The Science Show, and non-traditional methods of knowledge production. |
| 14.30 | Closing address: Dr Dwayne Spiteri |
| 15.00 | Music set |
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