My name is Daniel, and I am a 3rd year history student. Many of you may recognise me as for the last 3 years I have been a Student Community Leader, working events like Welcome Week, Study Well and others. I started my time at Goldsmiths during the Covid-19 pandemic, which was followed by years of strikes against the cuts at the college and now the cost-of-living crisis which is affecting us all. It’s been a tough but memorable time in which we have had to fight for ourselves while making friends and memories along the way which have carried us through. I am running for SU President as someone who has been through all this, who knows what it feels like and who is ready and willing to continue the fight to get students the experience they pay for and deserve. Please read below my manifesto and the key ideas which I would work to implement.
-Daniel
Equality and Representation:
Equality not only between students, but between students and staff, where everyone feels respected. Visibility, diversity, and inclusivity is one the greatest strengths of Goldsmiths, creating a space where everyone call feel seen, represented, and valued. I am a gay student, from a mixed racial background, born in Lisbon, Portugal and raised in London for most of my life. I am also a mature student, 26 years old, and have had a career in finance for 3 years before university.
Seen and heard:
The voices of Goldsmiths’ students are powerful and loud, I would like to encourage this and use my position to amplify these voices, making sure that any feedback, positive or negative, is quickly communicated to the college’s administration. With me you’d have a strong ally who is not afraid to speak up for the interests of students and who is committed to strengthening the sense of inclusivity that we have at Goldsmiths.
The FUN Experience You Deserve:
The student experience at university should be a time that everyone remembers for the rest of their lives, I believe that is something that all students deserve. This experience should be fun and enjoyable. I commit to bringing the fun back to the student experience one of my stop priorities! I would aim to regularly launch new SU social events with fun creative themes, continue and improve the events already held by the SU and develop a new social network scheme aimed at new students.
Empowering and Respectful:
I will aim to give you power over your time at Goldsmiths, the ability to shape your experience, to grow and thrive in a positive and fun environment. People like us, who look, speak, and think like us, will speak to you, represent you and fight for you. We are stronger in our diversity and in our identity, together we can come together, fight together and form memories which will last a lifetime.
Key Ideas:
Diversity of Achievement Campaign
Diverse backgrounds, shared success. A digital campaign celebrating resilience, diversity, and achievement. Join us in championing our students' stories and fostering pride in our community!
Buddy Social Network
An opt-in social network for new students, but open to every year, where students are placed into groups led by current students, who will introduce them to college’s academic and social life.
Mock Elections
Mock general elections will foster a sense of responsibility, help to acquaint students with voting, for those who have never, and showcase the diversity of opinion at Goldsmiths. Debates between students and representatives from the UK political parties would be invited to participate.