Spaces in the workplace

 Imagine turning up to a meeting, and the first thing you hear is “who gave you permission to be in this room?”  “Who asked you to sit on the table?” “Who gave you the job?” How does one react to these questions? The issue of space in the workplace is an interesting one because as bodies, we occupy spaces wherever we are. The question of who is allowed in and who gives permission to occupy these spaces is one that fascinates. In workplaces, in particular people from different backgrounds occupy and sometimes share spaces. Still, the fact that people might be working together does not always mean integration or acceptance of each other. For black bodies it is difficult to fit in and for the most part because of what's said to us in these spaces. I experienced this first hand and its as if one doesn't exist and this is painful and in no way can it lead a successful diversity programme.

I was treated like an outsider by the university I worked. What made it more painful is the fact that when I reported to the Head of equality, I was ignored

The issue of space(s) is one that is not talked about, and like other forms of oppression, one that people skirt around until they are affected. I was such a person. Naively because I had always been in spaces where I felt at ease- my home country. Space is in a constant of transition as a result of ‘continuous , dialectical struggles of power and resistance among and between the diversity of landscape provides, users and mediators .

We need to think spaces and what happens in them as we work on our equality and diversity initiatives.