An evening with Esua Jane Goldsmith

On International Women's Day, former Students’ Union President Esua Jane Goldsmith talked about how her time in Leicester University in the 1970s shaped her personal and political journey, and connections with the social justice movements of today. 

Esua’s talk, which included readings from her recent memoir, The Space Between Black and White, covered hwer experiences as the first woman of colour to be elected President of the SU, as well as issues of mixed-race identity, feminism and how/why she wrote the book. She also addressed contemporary issues such as the death of George Floyd, Black Lives Matter, the pandemic and the climate crisis. Her talk highlighted the importance of Black writing and need for more published Black stories.

Esua Jane Goldsmith is a British-Ghanaian Feminist author, campaigner, and facilitator, and Director and founder of Anona Development Consultancy. She has worked in the not-for-profit sector for over 40 years with more than 100 organisations on five continents, as leader, Chair, Director, and consultant. In 2015 Leicester University awarded her an Honorary Doctorate for her lifetime’s work in Women’s Rights.