Safi Bugel spoke to Abigail Busenze from Black Feminist Society to find out about the society’s aims and ongoing projects.

What does Black Feminist Society aim to do?

We aim to create a supportive space to embrace the beauty and brilliance of Black womxn and non-binary people, especially students.

Why is it so important to create a safe space for Black students?

It is important for Black people to have a community where they can find solidarity, share their lived experience and feel support from one another. Especially at university where it is kind of a visceral thing to meet people, it’s good to come to place finding certainty that, at Black Fem Soc, there are people who share the same experience.

You’ve just started a book club, can you tell me a bit more about that?

The book club idea started from Melody and I decided to carry it on; we had one session where we read extracts from different books and discussed it together. I give free PDF books out on the 1st of every month and host a Zoom call on the last Saturday of every month at 3pm. I create prompts for people to follow; it is meant to expand our mind. While we focus on Black authors, it is not specific to race in terms of the theme of the books, but so far those are the only PDFs I have at the moment. I choose two books from my collection or, if someone has suggested a book that I have as a PDF, I make polls on social media before revealing the book on the 1st, asking for emails to distribute them to. Each Zoom call is limited to 8 people; it is open to all but the Black community is prioritised. Also, you don’t have to finish the book to join!

What’s something everyone should be reading at the moment?

I think everyone should read The Blacker The Berry by Wallace Thurman.

Follow Black Feminist Society here.

Header image by @mkartoons.