London Union Society

Emily Wilding Davison a literature graduate from Royal Holloway, University of London, went to incredible lengths to advocate for women’s equality and voting rights. She was an English suffragette who fought for votes for women in Britain in the early twentieth century.

As a member of the Women's Social and Political Union, she was known as a militant advocate for her cause. She was arrested nine times, and as a result of her going on several hunger strikes, she was force-fed on almost fifty occasions.

She was tragically hit by King George V's horse, Anmer, at the 1913 Derby when she marched onto the track during a race. She dedicated her life to gender equality and paved the way for women to vote. We owe a lot to the sacrifices and work of the suffragettes.

💭 Take Emily’s story and think about all the actions you take today both large and small and the impact they will have on the things you are passionate about.

Can’t go to a protest or debate? Here is a prime example of how to fight injustice through poetry…

Sarojini was an Indian political lobbyist and poet. As a proponent of civil rights activists and women's emancipation, she raised awareness of anti-imperialist ideas. This made her an important figure in India's struggle for independence from colonial rule. She became Mahatma Gandhi's successor to becoming the President of the Indian National Congress.

Her notable works as a poetess earned her the sobriquet 'the Nightingale of India'. She studied her passion at King’s College London, then went onto study at Girton College, University of Cambridge, before travelling back to India to pursue her political career.

Take a leaf out of her book…
✉️ Write a letter to your Member of Parliament discussing a current affair or injustice that matters to you.
📢 Take part in our LUVoices campaign sharing your story about university and your passions.
📚 Spend an hour researching what’s the latest in a topic that matters to you: Gender Equality, Climate Change or LGBTQIA+ rights, a few to mention.

Go read more about Sarojini Naidu and her life’s work with fighting inequality 💡

We all know sticking to new healthy habits and behaviours can be challenging. That’s why it’s great to start your week with a health plan. The plan allows you to feel more satisfied and accomplished. We are heavily influenced by our daily routine and priorities but the plan gives you a good idea of the direction you want to be going in. Becoming a healthier individual starts with a plan.

Spend 30 minutes of your week drafting a swift plan of what you’ll eat, how you’ll workout, whether you decide to walk or ride to university or work. Start speaking and researching your health goals, the time to start is now.

Get that piece of paper or open up your diary and write a quick health plan. You are the key to your motivation.

Geraldina Asher-Smith known as Dina, is a British sprinter. Aged 25, she is the fastest British woman in recorded history and was listed in the Powerlist as one of the UK's most influential African/African Caribbean descent, most recently in the 2021 edition.

She trained for World Championships, European Championships and Rio Olympics, all whilst at university. In 2017, she celebrated graduating with her history degree at King's College London. As a lover of music, Dina wrote her dissertation on the history of jazz music, focussing on Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington.

She was the World Champion at 200 metres in 2019. The European Champion for 2018 for 100 and 200 metres. She won bronze at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, fulfilling her dream of becoming an Olympian.

She holds the British records in the 100 and 200 metres, with 10.83 secs (2019) and 21.88 secs (2019). Female Power! Wishing you Good Luck for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics trials week. You've got this!

Ever felt like you are trapped in your old ways and always wishing you had better habits? Well, here are a few ideas for you to try out this summer and incorporate into your routine🔅

“All big things come from small beginnings. The seed of every habit is a single, tiny decision. But as that decision is repeated, a habit sprouts and grows stronger. Roots entrench themselves and branches grow. The task of breaking a bad habit is like uprooting a powerful oak within us. And the task of building a good habit is like cultivating a delicate flower one day at a time.” - James Clear, Author & Entrepreneur.

💬 Comment below, which is your favourite habit?

We want to hear from you…

Did you go to a University of London collegiate college?

We would like to hear about your personal struggle with either getting into university, whilst at university or even after you graduated… It's not all doom and gloom, do you have any amazing achievements that you would like to share?

OR

Tell us about a current affairs theme that you are super passionate about: Why is the topic important to you? What needs to be said? How can we approach a solution? Tell Us!

Join our London Union Voices Campaign!

We would like a short 30 seconds clip with you discussing your story. Get creative, perhaps even make a TikTok about it.

Email or DM us for more information and we will give you the spotlight to discuss.

Continue to be resilient and active with your determination in the face of discrimination and prejudice.

Elizabeth played a vital role in both the USA and the UK with bringing social awareness to discrimination and being a moral policy reformer, pioneering the movement with promoting education for women in medicine. Her key contributions and legacy remain celebrated with the Elizabeth Blackwell Medal, that is awarded annually to women who have made significant contributions by promoting women in the medical field.

Remember that feeling of rejection? Others continuously saying no to you? Well keep fighting for what you wish to achieve, follow the Elizabeth Blackwell way.

After preparing for years and applying for months to medical schools, Elizabeth noticed the enduring and persistent prejudices against her s*x. The weight of non-acceptance haunted her throughout her career. She too was rejected from every medical school she applied to in the 1840s. Finally, she was accepted with a majority vote from the male students, who voted to allow her to join the Geneva Medical College. In 1847, Elizabeth became the first woman to attend medical school in the United States. Later, her career led her to become friends with Florence Nightingale, studying and practicing medicine at the St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical School, now part of Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary, University of London.

In 1874, Elizabeth Blackwell worked together with Florence Nightingale, Sophia Jex-Blake, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson and Emily Blackwell to form the first medical school for women in England, London School of Medicine for Women. Today, there are 140,509 registered female medical practitioners. Thank you Elizabeth Blackwell.

Totalitarian systems and institutions will fall.

Nelson Mandela started to study his Law degree with the University of London, passing his intermediate exams, but was prevented by the South African authorities to continue with his degree.

Mandela recalled his time during the Rivonia trial in his autobiography - Long Walk to Freedom, released in 1994. During 1963-4, Mandela wrote about his studies…

“I had continued my studies throughout the trial and I wanted to make the examination… I later realised that it was a way to keep myself from thinking negatively."

In 1975, he began writing Long Walk to Freedom and was managed to be smuggled into London, fear of severe repercussions the autobiography remained unpublished at the time. The prison authorities discovered several pages of the book, and his LLB study privileges were revoked for a further four years. They used his educational pursuits as a weapon for punishment.

His popularity and ideology was recognised with the students for University of London Union voting Mandela for its presidency.

For many education is escapism through empowering courage and bravery. University is not the only way to achieve your goals and attain success but it is the triumph of education and thirst for knowledge that can be done anywhere.

Have the courage to challenge menticide!

Your degree doesn’t define you... yet allows you to discover and appreciate perspectives, helps you pick yourself back up when you fall.

From Gotham City to Dunkirk, Christopher Nolan has directed and curated some of the world’s best films. His creations have grossed more than $5 billion worldwide, earned him 5 BAFTA awards, 5 Golden Globe awards, 11 Oscar wins and 36 nominations. He was also appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2019.

The acclaimed director went on to read English literature at University College London (UCL). He would speak about his journey of opting out of a traditional film education, and pursuing "a degree in something unrelated ... because it gives a different take on things."

He chose UCL specifically for its filmmaking facilities, which comprised of a Steenbeck editing suite and 16 mm film cameras. Determined to make the most out of university life, Nolan went on to becoming the president of the UCL Film Society.

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