Past, Present, Future.

Black History Month is a reminder that the past, present, and future are deeply connected. To ignore that link is to overlook the lessons and legacies shaping our lives today.

This year, we’re exploring those connections through our theme Past, Present, Future:

• Past: Black alumni return to share experiences and advice with current students.
• Present: A debate night asking how separate Imperial College can truly be from imperialism.
• Future: Workshops with Year 12s and 13s, offering insight into higher education and being a Black Student at Imperial.

We’ll open the month with 'Til Late, a celebration bringing our community together. Whatever your background, we invite you to learn, reflect, and celebrate Black History Month with us throughout all the events happening this month!

Your BME Officer, Comfort, has written a blog piece on what BHM means to her. Check out the full article here.

Get involved in what's happening this month by checking out our What's On page here.

Disability History Month (DHM) is a national event that aims to promote the rights of people with disability and their struggle for equality.

It is celebrated annually and is supported by a wide range of disability advocacy organisations, unions and voluntary organisations.

DHM is an opportunity for us to reflect on how we can make the lives of people with disability better through our everyday actions. The more we understand about disability, the more we can provide better help and support. Making sure not to judge someone based on their disability is crucial.

Remember, not all disabilities are visible.

Theme for this year

At Imperial College Union, we will mark DHM this year with a very special theme – ‘Things I wish you knew.’ This theme is part of a year-long campaign that will aim to highlight the experiences of students living with disability and neurodiversity.

There are lots of things a person with disability wishes you knew. Like that introverted person you see in class - the one who never contributes to discussions. Did you know that they live with autism and have chronic social anxiety, so they might find it overwhelming? They have lots to say but we need to create a safe space for them first.

It is extremely important for us to set up inclusive and accessible places, so everyone feel like they belong.

How to get involved?

There are many ways you can get involved in DHM.

• Come to our DHM event on 12 December at Metric . We will host a panel discussion with students, staff and external partners who will share their experiences and answer your questions.
• Fill out our survey - You can help change how we perceive and talk about disability by sharing your own lived experience. Survey results will be compiled into a video and shared with students. You can choose to share your story anonymously if you prefer.
• We also have Clubs and Societies (CSPs) that work with and for students with disability to make Imperial College London a more inclusive place. Consider signing up to the Neurodiversity Society, the Sign Language Society or the Psychiatry Society. There are many more disability-focused CSPs you can join, or you can even create your own!

In addition to the above, always be mindful of the language and tone you use while speaking about people with disability:

1. Use person-first language, whenever possible: putting the person before the disability. For example, instead of ‘autistic person, use ‘person with autism. ‘
2. Use an active voice instead of a passive voice: use “we made mistakes”, instead of saying “mistakes were made by us.”
3. Avoid offensive or condescending words, such as ‘handicapped person’, ‘retarded or ‘blind’. You can find additional guidance on words to avoid in this inclusive language guide.

Support for you at ICU and Imperial College London

If you are a student living with a disability, we know that your disability can affect you in different ways.

We provide tailored and flexible services through:

1. The Advice Service at ICU
2. The Disability Advisory Service at Imperial College
3. The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Centre

LGBTQ+ History Month happens in February every month.

It helps to increase the visibility of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and/or asexual people, their history, lives and their experiences in the wider community.

It is a time to celebrate the diversity that LGBTQ+ people bring to society, but also the hardships they have faced and continue facing in society.

This LGBTQ+ History month, let’s ensure that all LGBTQ+ people can feel safe, seen, and supported at Imperial.

2025 Theme

The 2025 theme is Activism and Social Change.

Throughout history, LGBTQ+ people have used their voice to create social change, advancing society for everyone.

Have a look at some of the activists that we are celebrating this year on the LGBTQ+ History Month website.

Are you a social activist too and do you belong to the queer community? Let us know how you are shaping change at Imperial.

How to get involved this LGBTQ+ History Month?

1. Come along to our LGBTQ+ History Month launch event at the Abdus Salam Library Foyer on 5 February for a Charity Bake Sale, from 11 am to 4 pm. We will be selling baked goods, stickers, distributing pronoun pins and rainbow lanyards and more to raise funds for Mermaids – a charity that supports trans, non-binary and gender-diverse children, young people and their families

1. Submit an artwork that will be displayed at a pop-up LGBTQ+ x Mental Health Art Exhibition in the Centre for Languages, Culture and Communication (CLCC) Foyer. The gallery will happen from 24 – 28 February.

Submissions for the artwork close on 20 February and are open to everyone! For the submission form, please visit @imperial_lgbtq on Instagram.

Plus, there will be a kick off event on 24 February at 6.30 - you are all invited to come along! Light refreshments and drinks will be provided.

Next steps

Give ICU ‘s LGBTQ+ Network a follow on Instagram to know more about their plans for the year and keep updated with their initiatives.

Mental Health Awareness Month aims to create and encourage safe spaces for conversations surrounding mental health and how it impacts different people.

Throughout the month, led by your Mental Health Officer, Miriam, we'll be hosting various wellbeing-oriented events. We want to champion students and staff at Imperial to feel comfortable having conversations around mental health without the attached stigma.

Across the range of events, we aim to give students and staff an opportunity to discover a new and fun activity that they can continue beyond the month to encourage everyone to take time to do things that bring them joy.

Theme for this year

As raised by Mental Health Foundation UK, the theme for this year is Community.

'Being part of a safe, positive community is vital for our mental health and wellbeing. We thrive when we have strong connections with other people and supportive communities that remind us, we are not alone. Communities can provide a sense of belonging, safety, support in hard times, and give us a sense purpose.' - Mental Health Foundation UK

What's on during MHA Month?

All events are free to attend! Just make sure to register for ones that require it.

🟢 Mental Health Awareness Month Yoga - Registration required.

🟢 Clay Sculpting Class in collaboration with Art Club

🟢 Creative Writing Workshop

🟢 Gardening Session with RE:GEN

🟢 Mental Health Awareness Month creative space

🟢 Colour Run with Move Imperial - Registration required.