OUR TEAM

PRESIDENT
​Asia (she/her), MA Classicist

When I first came to UCL for my BA three years ago, I was clueless. And not just in the sense that I couldn’t navigate the tube or find my way around campus. I was completely naïve to the problematic aspects of the degree I would be doing for the next three years, and I spent the first two years of it unaware, for example, that Classics is so inherently bound up with imperialism, colonialism and the British Empire. This initial ignorance may be made even more surprising by the fact that I am mixed race, and that today the relationship between classics and its colonial legacy often makes it a personal challenge for me to read and study ancient texts. That is why I am so thrilled to have co-founded and been given the opportunity to lead LCoC. A society such as this one, which enables discussion and prioritisation of the intersection between Classics and Race, would have changed my entire University experience. Furthermore, it would have let me meet a huge group of like-minded students, and nourished my experience of studying Classics as a POC. I cannot wait to meet all our new members, and alongside them help to redefine how we study Classics! ​

ACADEMIC EVENTS OFFICER
Natasha (she/her), MA Classics

As a mature (!) student, I did my BA in Classics at Oxford University some years ago, at a time when there was very little focus on Classics and decolonisation or race. At the time, I was struck by the lack of other POC students on my course and at the university as a whole, but struggled to articulate those feelings or develop those thoughts into actions.
Having come back now to do my MA at UCL, it has been amazing to have the opportunity to set up LCoC with fellow like-minded students. We are a group of people who want to work together to ensure that Classics is a subject open to people of all backgrounds – whether that means advocating for a more inclusive curriculum, supporting initiatives to create a more diverse student body and faculty, or just providing a place for POCs to come together and share experiences in this area.
As Academic Events Officer, my focus is on organising events that provide an opportunity for the UCL student body (and ourselves!) to develop an understanding of how Classics and colonialism have been linked in the past and how we can tackle the issues this presents. I look forward to learning and sharing this journey with my fellow students in the coming year!

TREASURER
Asyia (she/her), BA Classicist

I’d always been somewhat aware of the problematic history of Classics, in particular its links with imperialism and white supremacy but this was put under a harsh light when I arrived at UCL to study Classics. Dialogue around decolonising the curriculum, let alone the legacy of Classics were a footnote at the end of a lecture or actively ignored. This wasn’t a unique experience but one true for most studying Classics across the world. 
Connecting with the rest of the committee and wider classical community has allowed in a breath of fresh air to an otherwise stale and exclusive discipline. I am looking forward to events, discussions and socials where we can all reflect on the state of the world, and our mental wellbeing in the context of Classics and race. 
As Treasurer, I am responsible for making sure we don’t go bankrupt and, despite dropping maths as soon as I could (a true classicist at heart), hopefully I can pull it off! I’ve also been given the serious responsibility of creating zoom links, an honour I hope to live up to.

WELFARE OFFICER
Reyna (she/her), BA Classicist

Growing up, I found that my school curriculum felt quite detached from my multi-cultural environment in London. Studying Latin was a privilege that I appreciated, and I was encouraged to study Classical Literature in my own time. However, after meeting other aspiring Classicists, I began to feel alienated from my subject, since what I believed to be an exclusively Greco-Roman field would have no connection to my own background. Now, as a first year Classicist, I feel lucky to have had my eyes opened to Classics' diverse past and look forward to discussing this with our new members! 
As the society's Welfare Officer, my aim is to provide a safe-space, especially for POC students, to share their experiences in both socially and in academic life, and to voice concerns if necessary. Additionally, I will be scheduling regular drop-in sessions open to everyone - whether you need to share an issue, or simply need a break from relentless university life! I hope to promote the community feeling that LCoC is all about and I can't wait to get to know each of our members individually!

MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER
​Mai (she/her), BA Ancient World

What initially drew me to the Ancient World degree is the fact that it promised a view on classical antiquity that was not centred around Graeco-Roman civilisations. However, upon commencing my degree, I found out that the root of the problem did not solely lie in the Graeco-Roman focus, but rather the colonisation of classical antiquity to push a white agenda. Classics has historically been examined through the lens of a single demographic; the wealthy white man. Thus, classical studies were deemed 'high culture' and used to promulgate forth an imperialist regime.

Additionally, while there is some focus on the Levant, Egypt, and the Near East within the discipline, there is so much that is glossed over, such as the Empire of Ashanti or the Indus-Saraswathi civilisation. This is why it is integral for us to strip classical studies of its Mediterranean focus and start examining it in within the context of the broader world. I feel so lucky to be a part of LCoC, a space to work with like-minded individuals to pioneer a new, decolonised approach to Classics.