September 2022 – February 2024
Phase eight is an opportunity for Shades of Noir to solidify its position as a Centre for Race & Practice Based Social Justice. Leading up to this phase, specific focus on institutional ownership and the implications within the historical framework of Shades of Noir:
- Representation – Build capacity at all levels of society for marginal communities to grow, thrive and support others
- Remuneration – Support financial liberation for marginal communities to grow, thrive and support others
- Reparation – Action approaches making amends for the wrongs done to marginal communities to grow, thrive and support others
- Reclamation – Develop strategies to reduce erasure, misappropriation and or undervaluing theirstories/herstories/histories for marginal communities to grow, thrive and support others
- Redistribution – Evolve practices to redeploy powers and privileges for marginal communities to grow, thrive and support others
Outcomes.
Ownership
This phase is unique with regards to Shades of Noirs relationships with institutional ownership vs reallocation of ownership to its founder and Director Aisha Richards. Some of the key considerations included:
Autonomy – Could Shades of Noir fit into an institutional construct and still retain the radical approaches and criticality authentically?
Integrity – What are the implications of an institutional ownership, and what does this mean to the authentic self actualisation through Shades of Noir of its founder and the many it serves?
Legacy – How could Shades of Noirs history, legacy and impact be erased, misappropriated or misused through the ownership of an institution?
After very careful consideration of these above questions and more, it is clear that Shades of Noir requires a new chapter beyond the ownership of any institution. However, building long term and far reaching relationships is the bedrock of Shades of Noirs success of change in people, processes and policies. This will be maintained.
Next Steps
- Teaching Within at UAL, will continue until completion of cohort 7 January 2024 and Safe Space will continue until the end of 2022/23 academic year at UAL.
- Shades of Noir is again an independent body inline with the trademark description, directed by Aisha Richards.
- Shades of Noir journeys into this new chapter embracing the renewed independence, with the framework to maintain focused practice based social justice is cemented.