ZAINAB ADIL
Manifesto
My name is Zainab Adil (pronounced Zen-ub). I am running for the role of Anti-Racism Action Officer, because I want SOAS to be an inclusive space for people of all racial and cultural backgrounds, and I believe that I have the skills and drive to make that happen.
In High School, I founded a Students of Colour Affinity Group in which non-White students would meet to speak about their experiences as people of colour. As president, I planned meetings, and collaborated with other societies to communicate our racism-related issues to the school administration.
At SOAS I've been an active participant in student affairs, by attending society meetings and campus protests, giving me an understanding of the opinions of the student body. While I haven’t had an official role in the SU, I’ve contributed to student-led events by helping with set-up and activities in events held by Islamic Society, Pakistan Society, and Freshers Week.
If elected I will campaign on the following things:
Confronting anti-Blackness at SOAS
It is an obvious show of anti-Blackness that our university is still directed by a man who said the n-word. If elected, it would be of utmost importance to me to fight to get Adam Habib fired. Every day that Habib stays at SOAS is another day of the SOAS administration making it clear whose safety and comfort does and doesn’t matters on campus. If elected, I will drive forward the campaign against Adam Habib, and make the views of students, specifically Black students, clear to the SU and administration.
Protecting the right to protest
There is a huge problem at SOAS regarding responding to student protests, specifically protests in support of Palestine. This is a race-related issue, as the disproportionate actions towards Palestinian support specifically are indicative of racial bias. Supporting Palesitne is not illegal, and for it to be treated as such, begs the question, why is protesting for Palestine any different from any other social justice issue? While work has been done by the Palestine Society and SOAS Solidarity team to bring back suspended students, more action is needed. If elected, I will campaign for the rights of students to protest free of any racially-biased actions from the administration.
Securing a Jummah room
This academic year, SOAS reduced the Jummah prayer space for Muslim women, giving us room L65 as a replacement. This isn’t sufficient as L65 is too small to hold Jummah. Now, female Muslim students use a classroom to pray in instead, having to call into the men’s prayer room to hear the prayers. Cutting into our prayer space, without giving an adequate replacement, is an act of disrespect, Islamophobia and racism. If elected, I will work to secure a Jummah room for the Muslim sisters on campus.
My name is Zainab Adil, I am running for Anti-Racism Action Officer, please remember to go out and vote, please do consider voting for me. You can vote via SOASunion.org/elections