Context

Duke University’s First-Ever Laidlaw Scholars Program Year partnered with the University of Leeds to send two Laidlaw Scholars to Leeds, England, for six weeks. I, Major Richmond, participated in the “Incorporating Community Voices into Sustainability Education” project at the University of Leeds School of Earth and Environment under the supervision of Dr. Vasiliki Kioupi, Dr. Rosario Michel Villarreal, and Dr. Charlotte Nussey. The University and I partnered with the LS14Trust, a community organization in Seacroft, Leeds, to find participants and to give back to the community. The project was live from June 23rd to August 1st and incorporated literature reviews, presentations, workshops, networking, and more.

The project was split into various phases. For the first two weeks, I conducted a general subject review, including literature, exploration, and discussion. I reread passages from Duke University’s “Community-Engaged Research Leadership for Social Change” Laidlaw Scholars course. I examined online documents with tips and tricks from previous Photovoices, the methodology I used to gain insight into the Seacroft community. I attended events across the Leeds area to gain a better understanding of the culture and people I would be working with. I traversed the various suburbs and divisions of Leeds (Headingley, Little London, Hyde Park) to get a physical sense of how a strong community takes shape. Finally, I attended various faculty lectures and discussions at the University of Leeds on the topics of Photovoice, community engagement, and sustainability.

The next weeks involved preparation and presentation. I crafted the timeline, slide presentations, and speaker notes for the necessary Seacroft workshops. The goal of the project was to have Seacroft reimagine its own public image through social justice and sustainability photography, hosting discussion and information sessions between the “photography period.” The first workshop consisted of introductions, a deep ethical discussion, instructions/descriptions for the project, goals, and next steps. After the first workshop, I was flooded with beautiful photographs of all topics and places. I organized these files in a drive, asked participants for photo captions, and reminded everyone of the second workshop. When we came together, we had a lengthy discussion about what the photographs say about Seacroft and its community, organizing them into themed batches. I used the pictures and my takeaways to craft an “Understanding Seacroft” poster to present at the “We ART Seacroft Festival” in partnership with the LS14Trust. This process required lots of communication, ethical approval, and crafts! At the celebration, I gathered people’s thoughts and feelings on the collage.

The last phase involved project outcomes. I worked with the LS14Trust to produce social media materials and worked with my project supervisors to produce this written deliverable. I sent the LS14Trust all the ethical consented photographs and quotes from the photovoice activity. We made a carousel of photos with captions together to post on social media in an effort to better present Seacroft to the broader Leeds community.

Community Discussion and Takeaways

While some discussion occurred virtually through WhatsApp during the “We ART Seacroft Festival,” the bulk of conversation was during the Photovoice workshops. About 10-12 participants, 3 community leads, and 2 University of Leeds representatives (me and a supervisor) gathered in the community center on two Wednesdays in July. The sessions were both an hour long in the afternoon.

The first session started with everyone introducing themselves and completing an icebreaker activity, but quickly led to a deep ethical exchange. It started when one participant asked the big why question. Why is the University of Leeds coming back to engage with Seacroft for a research project? Will this relationship look like others in the past? Are we being used for our knowledge with nothing in return? Why has Major come overseas to work with us? WHY US? I reflected deeply on my takeaways from the “Community-Engaged Research Leadership for Social Change” Duke course - research isn’t supposed to be extractive, transactional, or unwanted. Work alongside the community, not for the community. At the moment, I was nervous and caught off guard. The participant asked completely valid questions, questions I would’ve wondered if I were in their shoes. Of course, the project would’ve been easier and simpler if none of those questions had come up, but I am beyond grateful that they did.

What I didn’t mention in the context section is that our project was technically no longer research. My supervisors and I spent the first few weeks prepping for the workshops, yet also doing lots of work with the University of Leeds ethics approval team completing risk assessments, data management plans, participant information sheets, and participant consent forms. Completing these forms helped stimulate more thoughts about the project, contributed useful documentation to share with participants, and provided practice for future research projects, yet the committee did not approve our project in time for the first workshop. En route to the community center, the project had flipped from research-focused to community engagement-focused. I am beyond grateful that it did.

I truthfully answered every question the participant asked me. As part of the University of Leeds’s sustainability strategy campaign, we want to rekindle relationships with various community organizations to help inform university decisions and impacts. This relationship won’t look like others in the past. We plan on fairly compensating every individual for their time and effort put into the project. We don’t intend to publish a paper with our findings to increase university credibility - even if we did, it wouldn’t be the main driving factor behind the project. We hope to create a lasting, non-extractive relationship between Seacroft and the University of Leeds that exists beyond this project. On that same vein, the community will choose the photovoice guiding questions, receive little mandates on what photography should look like, and lead the second workshop discussion. Major (me) has come overseas to be a part of a new movement of positive research strategy, use his abilities to foster this relationship, and explore the beautiful culture and scenery of Seacroft/Leeds.

I wish I could replay this conversation in my head, remember every word said and every expression exchanged. Taping conversations like these is surely beyond ethical standards, but it would be amazing to learn from the discussion again and again. It was one of the most intellectually stimulating moments of my life. I left the workshop feeling fulfilled, respected, and very tired, but a good tired. The project needed this conversation… and I didn’t even know it. It set the stage for the level of transparency and passion everyone was willing to offer. 

The rest of the workshop went very smoothly. I arrived with (flawed) guiding questions on my slideshow, and every participant had an input to shape the questions to what they wanted to explore and represent Seacroft with. The participants gave a sneak peek at what their favorite community space is and why. The participants genuinely looked interested in interacting with me and each other throughout the project.

The second workshop was exactly a week later, giving the participants a full week to take pictures between instruction and sharing out. They sent me their photos through WhatsApp before the second workshop, and I brought physical copies to the discussion. Similar to the first workshop, we began with introductions, an icebreaker activity, and a brief presentation on reimbursement/ethics from my supervisor. We restated discussion etiquette and recapped the first workshop to allow any thoughts/feelings that didn’t make it in originally. The activity to kick off the discussion involved everyone sitting in a circle, grabbing a photo laid out around the room, and bringing the picture to the table to discuss. 

We went around the room discussing images that participants personally took or images that spoke to them but weren’t their own. Naturally, the photos fell into four different categories: Sports and Recreation, Music and Art, Landscapes and Places, and Inequality and Improvement. Each of these groupings is described and illustrated in the visual deliverable. It was beautiful hearing what each participant had to say. Some shared outside insight on someone else's picture, while others shared insider info that I never would’ve inferred. For example, a photo within a grocery store could be about community gathering or common spaces, yet the intent was to display the lack of healthy food options in local markets. 

The group discussed next steps at the end of the workshops - what should we do with what we’ve done? The group agreed to promote a collage for social media, display a poster at the “We ART Seacroft Festival,” and spread the word about how beautiful Seacroft is.

Altered Viewpoints - What I’ve Heard

One of my largest takeaways from the UK is that the North-South divide is very apparent. Northern England is seen as underdeveloped, poor, and “dodgy” by folks from Southern England. Southern England is seen as wealthy, bold, and “posh” by folks from Northern England. I confronted this issue even before I left for Leeds. Almost all the English Duke students are from near London (Southern England), with only one being from Newcastle (Northern England). The abundance of resources and focus on education in Southern England has likely allowed these students to apply and be accepted to Duke. When I told these students I was headed to the UK, they lit up like a candle. When I told these students I was headed to Leeds, most of their smiles faded. “Why would you go to Leeds? Oof, you’re in for a rough time. Are you stopping in London while you’re there? Are you joking…?” Within Leeds, Seacroft is known to be one of the most disadvantaged suburbs. People describe it as dangerous and poor, with many commenting on the community before the actual space. One community member even framed it as “the projects.” By my friends’ standard, I was headed to the worst of the worst. I intentionally ignored these descriptions and vowed to create my own perception of the community.

Part of the reason why the University of Leeds wanted to work with Seacroft is because it traditionally does not get the recognition it deserves. The project’s goal was for Seacroft to define itself against the negative reputation it stereotypically receives. Through photography, the community could present its own sort of welcome sign, if you will.

Altered Viewpoints - What I Know Now

I had no expectations - I hit the tour with as open a mind as possible. A representative from LS14Trust drove me around Seacroft for the first time on July 2nd, and it was beautiful. We arrived at Chapel FM Arts Center first and I was introduced to the lovely team there. Everyone was welcoming and the community space was active. I saw a local radio group broadcasting, refugees cooking, and a musical group practicing. We drove past the town center's giant green event space - perfect for cricket and celebrations. I arrived at LS14Trust and a representative taught me about their pantry system that gives out fresh greens and goods to community members. The space was full of art and character.

I found a welcoming community within the group of participants from Seacroft. Every single person was friendly, willing to engage in the project, and a genuinely good person. Throughout the week they would send me pictures and dialogue would grow from there. They seemed happy to see me during the second workshop after we met for the first. They welcomed me like family during the “We ART Seacroft Festival.”

To an outsider, it should be viewed like any other town you haven’t visited. The magic happens once you visit. There’s more to Seacroft than the supposed affordable housing and high crime rate. There’s a group of resilient and kind people who are waiting to be seen.

University Research Advice

My quick letter to the curriculum director:

Dear University of Leeds and Duke University,

Duke’s “Investigating the Natural World” new curriculum requirement isn’t enough. ALL students, regardless of Trinity or Pratt affiliation, should take a sustainability course. With the plethora of majors and modules at the University of Leeds, it’s a disservice to students not to have environmentalism automatically woven into every course of study. Business students should learn the value of reusing materials for production. Engineering students should develop new methods of energy conservation. Politics students should realize the environmental impacts resulting from policy. Even a small course encouraging sustainable living, like dorm recycling tips, supportive eating habits, or considerate room standards, can make waves. Collective action is the only fight against the climate crisis - one human may be minuscule, but a campus surely isn’t. My research and cultural exploration of the UK has opened my eyes to the world of improvement that Universities need to make, especially American ones. Groups yearn for clean and green spaces, yet individual interests undermine these luxuries. It’s up to institutions to break down these barriers and foster a community of activism.

Research is necessary to the way we live, interact, and advance as a society, but only when done correctly. Previous research studies have involved extractive and unethical methodologies that must not continue. Communities are routinely sought out and used for their insight and resources, perpetuating a system of inequality. I urge the university to mandate that all future projects go through strict reflection before conducting research. The intentions of the project should be positive, yet intent means little when people are hurt. Ethical considerations should be discussed before, during, and after the project. The research should make a meaningful contribution to the community and remedy any unintended and/or harmful contributions. Relationships should be built and maintained. Every researcher should ask: Who is this project actually for? What purpose does it serve? What biases are present? As institutions of power with credibility, you have the responsibility to set the precedent.

Cheers,

Major Richmond

Lessons Learned

This may work better as a list:

• Literature reviews can get boring, but they are necessary
• Ethics considerations can get lengthy, but they are crucial
• People are the best resources
• Exploration is a necessary part of research and fun
• The hardest questions lead to the best conversations
• Rejection is redirection
• A picture is worth 1000 words
• Always be looking out for those who mean something to you
• Research is best when it’s supported by the local community
• Don’t judge a space by its reputation
• Lead by example
• Keep an open mind at all times

Just like the guiding questions in the workshops, this list is changing and growing with every day that passes by, despite leaving my English days behind me.