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A POP-UP art gallery on a bus stop in Acton High Street, west London, focuses on the Black British experience and Black Lives Matter movement.

Curators Finlay Bourke (@finlayphotos), John Dinneen (@dinneenho) and Amy Higgins (@ymapeach) said the artists were “really fantastic and enthusiastic about the project”.

Follow the artists on Instagram:

Raphael Dada @artbyadrafa

Kourtney Paul @therageart

Ebuka @ebuka_michael

Zaina Mughal @zainabmughalarts

Lauren Slevin @lslevinart

Lee-Roy Zozo @leeroy.zozo

May @yaymaymayillustrates

Ivy Scott is an English as an additional language (EAL) consultant and an equalities officer for Ipswich and South Suffolk.

Healing the trauma caused by racism

What do you love about your job?

I love seeing my adult learners making progress and engaging in their learning. As an EAL consultant, I have the opportunity to work with a range of teachers. I love sharing strategies, inspiring learners and teaching about Black history and culture.

What do you love about being in the union?

I started the Black East London Educators Group with eight teachers, and we are now well established with over 85 members. I love planning, organising and chairing meetings.

I’m now an equalities officer for Ipswich and South Suffolk. It’s wonderful being part of groups of educators who are actively supporting and developing each other.

The NEU providing an online platform for meetings for Black members has been crucial to alleviating some of the stress caused by the pandemic.

What have you been up to lately?

I am actively involved in my local community: interviewing people as a Windrush researcher for an exhibition next year; supporting the Ipswich Museum to decolonise its Black

Panther display for next year’s exhibition; and meeting with staff at The Hold, a new archive for Suffolk, to ensure its displays are reflective of the local community.

What’s important to you right now?

Decolonising the curriculum is important

NEU school rep Ashraf Uddin (left) has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s birthday honours list for services to St John Ambulance during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ashraf, a design and technology teacher at The Warren School in east London, volunteered 550 hours during March and April, supporting staff in the coronavirus ward at Brentwood Hospital, Essex, responding to 999 calls and crewing frontline ambulances.

He continued to work as a teacher throughout, supporting vulnerable and key worker children on a school rota (see Educate to me, but equally important is that schools provide training for teachers on racism and unconscious bias.

Black History Month should be Black History Matters and be taught throughout the curriculum and all year. Schools need to provide opportunities to raise awareness, beginning with CPD for all staff.

What do you do on your day off?

Help my dad – whom I care for – on his allotment, take long walks, spend time with family and friends. I love reading, knitting and listening to music.

Tell us something that we don’t know.

I run Emotional Emancipation Circles (EECs). These are evidence-informed, culturally grounded, self-help community support groups, designed to help heal the trauma caused by racism. We share stories in a safe space and learn essential emotional wellness skills.

I’m also in the process of putting together a publication on Black Lives Matter and Covid-19, including poems, reflections and diary entries about the challenges in our lives.

MBE for Covid volunteer Ashraf

I aim to share our hopes, skills and dreams. September/October, page 17).

Ashraf told Educate: “It was a huge surprise and great honour. There are so many volunteers working on the frontline, and so many teachers who have looked after children. Hopefully this represents the work they do too.”

Ashraf teaches his students first aid, awarding a badge and certificate for basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). “I think it should be part of the national curriculum,” he adds.

Messages of congratulations have come in from colleagues, parents and students. One read: “I always knew you were awesome, now the Queen does too.”