“To include more people of colour, as well as women, LGBTQIA+ people, economically disenfranchised people and disabled people”
We agree that all who find themselves in the Netherlands should be treated equally with dignity and respect. This also means taking care of those who are vulnerable, to have a city that is inclusive and welcoming for everyone. However we see the current municipality and the police do not uphold this notion when it come to treating the less privileged in society equal to those with more privileges. We see that the city of Amsterdam is becoming more and more exclusive to people who have residency documents or citizcnship and are from higher socio-economic classes. We see a push-out of the city of people who are from non-European ethnicity. Having a roof over your head is a human-right. However, in a city with many unoccupied buildings there are still way too many people who cannot find an affordable house and rents are artificially kept high. Having a demonstration is a human right. However, the police and local government are censoring concerned citizens who protest more and more. We are very troubled by these developments. The measure of any democracy lies in how it treats the most vulnerable people and by that measure this society is failing.
That’s why we support right to the city! All who find themselves in Amsterdam have an equal right to this city!
That’s why we support right to the city! All who find themselves in Amsterdam have an equal right to this city!
~ University of Colour
We aim to decolonize the university. We believe that the current global power structure is an outgrowth of that of colonial times. The will to colonize has extended itself from territories to our minds. Currently, university curricula are Eurocentric and indoctrinating; this can be concluded, for instance, from the fact that most of the literature is European or American.
Our project includes creating a more balanced curriculum that includes non-Eurocentric perspectives and ideas that challenge ongoing colonialism. We also aim to diversify university teaching and non-teaching staff as well as management to include more people of colour, as well as women, LGBTQIA+ people, economically disenfranchised people and disabled people; the same we seek to achieve for the student population.