Episode 55 + 56: Dr Victoria Showunmi
May 16th
This week, I talk to my mentor Dr Victoria Showunmi. Dr Victoria is a lecturer in education at UCL’s Institute of Education and Maynooth University. Just last year, she contributed to a number of books, including Feminist Pedagogy, Practice and Activism: Improving Lives for Girls and Women. Furthermore, her work has appeared in many peer-reviewed journals.
Key takeaways
- How to navigate blackness – country vs. city
- The pros and cons of code switching
- What they don’t tell you about being a female black ‘achiever’
- How to use your position to support other black women
- How to build your own meritocracy
- A guide to building your own table, rather than waiting for a seat at one
- The dark side to black people being research subjects
In episode #55, you’ll learn about Dr Victoria’s fascinating career. She talks about her research and what it reveals about black women’s mental health. You’ll benefit from Dr Victoria’s academic perspective, and discover why she’s concerned about the recent interest in the ‘black experience’. Also you’ll learn how Imrie and Dr Victoria met! It’s a lovely story that’s testament to the power of mentorship and women empowering women.
Dr Victoria opens up about her past in episode #56. Find out why she gave up on her dream job in hotel management and how transracial adoption affected her life. Imrie and Dr Victoria trade their very different experiences of growing up black, from dialect, to jobs and ambitions. The pair also touch on white woman tears, and why they’re more sinister than you think…
Learn more
- Follow Dr Victoria on Twitter
- If you strongly agreed with anything mentioned in these episodes and need someone to chat to, feel free to drop Dr Victoria an email