Liberate LUU
Introducing Liberate LUU
“I am not only Black for a Month”, “Working class people should be represented every single day of the week”, “As a disabled person, I don’t feel seen”, “Being Queer is who I am all the time”.
These are just some of the comments that I have heard about being in a marginalised group in my time at University. I resonated with all of these comments and wanted to do something about it. Liberation is all about setting people free and how can we set our community free if we are limiting liberation to set months or weeks. We have moved beyond needing awareness, we need action. This is what Liberate LUU is, embedding Liberation in all that we do.
Natasha Fowler-Ekar, previous Equality & Liberation Officer
Advocate: Discover support at LUU
Liberation and International Student Network (LISN)
The Liberation and International Student network are a dedicated team of student representatives who help to make LUU more inclusive, representative, empowering and fun for Liberation and International students. There are 7 members representing LUU’s Liberation Groups (Women’s, Trans, Asian, Working-class, Disability, LGBTQ+ and Black) and 7 members who represent international students. The team has an intersectional approach when working together to hold events, run campaigns. The LISN group are here advocate for the student communities they represent, so if you have an idea, concern or feedback that you would like LUU or the University to hear, they will Listen. They are supported by the Equality and Liberation Exec Officer, the International and Postgraduate Exec Officer and the Political Engagement Team.
Staffing & recruitment
At LUU we have three staff networks to help bring together and support our members from different liberation groups. These are REACH – the Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage Network, the Women’s Collective and the LGBTQ+ Network, each of which enables staff members who identify with a group to connect with those with similar experiences. We also take our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy seriously – inclusive is one of our core values as an organisation, and we work to embody this in all we do. Read the policy here to discover how EDI’s about much more than just recruitment at LUU.
Help & Support
LUU’s Help & Support team is here to help any and every student, no matter the issue they’re experiencing. They’re on hand to help with anything affecting students, including academic issues, financial worries and even campus directions. That includes helping to report hate crimes or making a complaint, and supporting you with any other concerns whether they’re related to liberation issues or otherwise. If something’s wrong, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Liberation and International Student Network (LISN)
The Liberation and International Student network are a dedicated team of student representatives who help to make LUU more inclusive, representative, empowering and fun for Liberation and International students. There are 7 members representing LUU’s Liberation Groups (Women’s, Trans, Asian, Working-class, Disability, LGBTQ+ and Black) and 7 members who represent international students. The team has an intersectional approach when working together to hold events, run campaigns. The LISN group are here advocate for the student communities they represent, so if you have an idea, concern or feedback that you would like LUU or the University to hear, they will Listen. They are supported by the Equality and Liberation Exec Officer, the International and Postgraduate Exec Officer and the Political Engagement Team.
Mobilise: Be the change you want to see
We have lots of upcoming Liberate LUU events to help our students immerse themselves in liberation work within our community and beyond.
Learning Together: Anti-Racism, Bias and Diversity
More events coming soon
Join us on a series of free events to make you a knowledgeable and confident advocate.
Why anti-racism campaign?
Racism takes many forms. Not all result in negative treatment, but they sting nevertheless. Whether we experience or witness a racial incident, it is important that we know why it happens, what our rights are, what we can do and how to get or give the support that is needed. This campaign hopes to give an answer to some of these questions. We hope that, by attending these events, our students will not only have the knowledge but the confidence to advocate for themselves and others.
‘Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.’ – James Baldwin
Organise: Get involved and learn more
Campaigns Hub
We exist to represent the interests of students, and that includes empowering them to lead their own campaigns on the causes they care about.
Sadly the world is rife with injustice, but together, through the vital tool of campaigning and advocacy, we can work towards making things right and just, within our campus community and beyond.
Liberate LUU is about taking action, not just raising awareness, which is evident in recent campaigns such as against spiking, where numerous practical measures were implemented or improved in our venues, and sexual violence, where a former Exec made significant progress in reforming the University’s approach. These successes are evidence that campaigning works – and that we all have the potential to make a difference.
We’ve put together a Campaigns Hub on our website with everything you need to know about campaigning as a student, from the staff support available to you, to funding applications, campaign resources and – if you’re after a bit of inspiration – our current campaigns.
Better Forums
The Better Forums are a sector-leading democratic process that allows students to make real change to the Union, University and city of Leeds. All you need to get started is an idea for change – we’ll help with the rest. You can discover LUU policy related to each of our liberation groups on our subpages.
Find out more about Better Forums and submitting your own idea below.
Liberation Library
As part of Liberate LUU, we’re proud to offer the Liberation Library – a collection of books from, by, and about marginalised groups. The Liberation Library exists to help you access texts outside traditional canons and reading lists.
While Liberate LUU focuses on action, we also recognise that awareness and understanding form the basis of action-based campaigning. We hope the Liberation Library will broaden our understanding of ourselves and those around it. Whether you’re part of a marginalised group looking to read about experiences you identify with or just looking to deepen your knowledge of other marginalised communities, you’ll find a diversity of books at the Liberation Library.
If there’s a book you’d like to see in the Liberation Library, let us know, and we’ll see what we can do. Request a book with the form below.
So how does the service work? It’s simple.
- Head to the first-floor Rep Room
- Choose a book
- Scan the QR code next to the library or click the button below to sign a book out.
- Return the book when you’re finished.
The system works on trust – all we ask is that you bring the book back when you’re finished and let us know what you thought.
We would love to hear your thoughts about this system so please fill in our feedback form below.
Latest news
Check out links to all the latest news here
- Former Exec Officer Melz was honoured in new hand-painted mural created by Co-op which has been unveiled in the Union building, find out more.
- Our Liberation Coordinators have developed a guide to accessing mental health support for students in liberation groups. Access it here.
- Have your say on introducing a Liberation Space in LUU! By filling out this quick form, you can let us know what a ‘Liberation Space’ would mean to you and how you would design and use the space, if created.
- Sign up to Anti-Harassment Bystander Training
Join the campaign
Want to know how to organise a campaign? Visit our Campaigns Hub.
Need help with how to market a campaign? Check back here for resources.
Part of a club or society wanting to put on a campaign for Liberate LUU? Take a look here.
