Consultation: | Young Greens AGM 2020 |
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Agenda item: | E.2. Non Portfolio Officer |
Proposer: | Kelsey Trevett (Three Rivers Green Party) |
Status: | Published |
Submitted: | 06/30/2020, 12:12 |
NPO3: Kelsey Trevett
Which role are you applying for?
- Which role are you applying for?:
- Non-Portfolio Officer
Candidate Statement
I actively recognise the need for, and the importance of, social justice, both to achieve climate justice, but equally to ensure a fair and functioning society for all. The coronavirus crisis, the government’s response to it, and recent protest movements have highlighted long standing injustices, including racism, transphobia, homophobia, ableism, sexism, and classism, which continue to plague our politics and our society more broadly.
I am determined that as the Green Party’s youth wing we ensure equality and inclusion in our actions and procedures. Further, we must focus on equality and inclusion in our campaigns and policies, to ensure that our movement, and our vision of the future, works for everybody, promotes equality, and is fully representative of the diversity we celebrate and protect.
Personally, I have some experience in this area: having grown up blind, I understand some of the practical and emotional consequences of being actively discriminated against, or having my voice left unheard as a result of people’s attitudes towards me due to my disability, as well as the difficulties that I face when inclusion and equality are left as afterthoughts.
I am also a part of the LGBTQ+ community, and share the feelings of fear and anger at the increasing number of attacks on the rights of LGBTQ+ people both here in the UK, and elsewhere around the world, by right-wing governments, and at the worrying precedent which they set for future government action.
But perhaps more importantly, I understand the power of listening. Nobody can single-handedly know how best to support all marginalised groups across our society, but listening, communicating, and then acting on the views and wishes of those groups in solidarity is the best and only way to achieve true justice, alongside an heartfelt belief that everybody has the right to be treated with equality, dignity, and care,
I have experience in promoting these values within a college setting:
- Establishing, and facilitating participation in, campaigns both in the college and in the local community
- Writing and promoting EDI policies to create a fair and inclusive student body, with regular education sessions and discussions
- Working to create and implement projects, policies, and targets to improve the sustainability of the college, and reduce its overall carbon footprint, in the context of the surrounding community. This guaranteed that involvement and resulting benefits are open and accessible to all.
- I have been very active in working with partner colleges, notably in France and elsewhere in the UK, to share best practice in relation to the importance of student voice, equality and diversity, and sustainability in educational establishments. I have been lucky enough to be able to share some of these ideas with students and staff in these other colleges, and to have learnt from them too.
I have been extremely inspired by the Young Greens 30 under 30 scheme, which taught me so much in terms of factual information, but also in regards to processes and campaigning, allowing me to develop as a Green activist, and in my roles at college. I also believe this reaffirmed my belief in the need for cooperation and teamwork: the experience, expertise, and ideas within a team can develop into truly wonderful things — I hope that, if elected, I can be a part of that team, and further build on the Young Greens’ progressive and radical social and environmental policies.
Links
- Twitter:
- www.twitter.com/couldbekel
- Instagram:
- www.instagram.com/couldbekel
- Website:
- www.couldbekel.com
Supporters (minimum 2 required)
- Supporter 1 Name:
- Orla MacMahon
- Supporter 1 Local Party/Affiliated Group:
- Bristol Greens/Young Greens
- Supporter 2 Name:
- Cam Yousefpour
- Supporter 2 Local Party/Affiliated Group:
- Sheffield Young Greens
- Local Party:
- Three Rivers Green Party