Daria Duda

Hi all, I’m Daria (they/them), a part-time masters student and a student activist. I’m also your current Trans and Non-Binary Liberation Officer and I would love to have your vote so I can continue my work on campus for another year!

My experience: 

I was elected to be the Trans and Non-Binary Officer last October and I had an intense term of working to improve the situation of trans+ students at Goldsmiths. So far I have delivered: 

• Engaging and informative events such as Homonationalism and Queer Resistance talk and film screening 

• Weekly lunchtime drop-ins in the Liberation Room with the Disabled Students Officer and (very recently) bi-weekly Queer Arts and Crafts evening event 

• Launching of the ongoing campaign to address the persistent deadnaming of trans+ students within Goldsmith’s admin and IT systems

• The upcoming Trans+ Students Townhall aimed to empower the community to direct future campaign efforts 

In addition to my experience at Goldsmiths, I come from a solid background of trans+ students’ rights at my previous institution. My previous engagements include: 

• Co-organising multiple trans rights protests as a Campaigns Officer for the UCL Student’s LGBTQ+ Network. 

• Putting on multiple community engagement events such as film screenings, poetry workshops etc. 

• Working in a variety of representational roles such as Course Rep, LGBTQ+ Students’ Departmental Rep, etc. 

My priorities: 

• Engagement: I will continue to deliver a variety of regular social events, including workshops with local queer and trans artists and makers to foster a thriving trans+ community and spaces of trans+ joy. 

• Safe activism: I will liaise with protester support organisations (such as Green & Black Cross) to deliver training and tips to ensure the safety and comfort of trans+ folks engaged in all forms of activism. We keep us safe! 

• Intersectional solidarity: I will continue to work with activist groups active on campus, such as Goldsmiths Students for Palestine as well as other Liberation Officers to help foster a culture of mutual, intentional and inclusive radical engagement. None of us are free until all of us are free!

• Institutional Accountability: I will continue my campaign of putting pressure on Goldsmiths management to reform the administrative systems to put an end to deadnaming and to include strict repercussions for intentional deadnaming of students in university codes of conduct. 

• Community self-help: I will facilitate events such as gender-affirming clothes exchange and deed poll drop-in sessions to allow for community resource sharing and mutual aid so that we can uplift and empower each other. 

Working as the Trans and Non-binary Officer I gained a deep understanding of the systems operating at Goldsmiths to marginalise and exclude trans+ students. Your votes would allow me to continue my fight for our rights and empowerment, as well as to continue my community-building efforts!