(2008) An Untitled Talk: Fatou Wurie

Name: Fatou Wurie

Talk Title: Untitled

Notes: Faculty of Arts, Women and Gender Studies, Women Studies, Minor in Political Science, 4th year.

Topic: “The power of representation of the self in social and political institutions is a force so great that it should never be underestimated. Wars, conflicts, art, revolutions and social legacies have stemmed from the need to be heard, seen, and represented; to be visible. Self construction is a process by which self autonomy and definition is constructed, solidified and made visible. For the longest time I was angry because I could not construct myself identity or was not visible in a dominant culture. I could not construct myself because it had either already been done or I was to adapt to a system pre-existent of my consent. As a Muslim Fulani woman living in the 21st century while attending a western institution which has yet to fully provide a platform and space for fully diverse forms of representation, I seek to challenge and help change that reality. The purpose of the talk is not to necessarily critique or bash the university, but rather to share how my personal experiences of a walking politic ( muslim, African and female) has led me to self-construct and in turn demand visibility and representation in social, academic and political institutions and settings. I have noticed how many cultural or ethnic groups form and advocate for social and academic representation and visibility at UBC. I am certain that with the terry talks, which aims at bridging and providing diverse facilities and academic backgrounds a space for dialogue, that I will be able to speak on the behalf of my own individual experiences of discrimination on the very basis on my being, my matter, my existence here in this world and how it translate into the culture of the campus. It will allow me to speak on how one can turn anger and confusion and use it as a fuel to be vocal, initiate, ask, and demand dialogue, action and change. The talk will allow those who indentify with my experiences to voice their own and those who perhaps do not agree challenge my thesis; with that a dialogue can begin in which a medium or a solution can be sought. I plan on beginning the talk with a spoken word piece, elaborate on my spoken word piece and then speaking on my personal experiences.”