Cameron Chastanet-Hird, recognised as top Afro-Caribbean student

Cameron Chastanet-Hird, a ParliaMentor at the University of Birmingham mentored by Preet Gill MP and supporting a local prison to stock its library during the pandemic, tells us about being recognised as one of the top Afro-Caribbean students in the UK.

“To be recognised as one of the UK’s top 150 outstanding African and African-Caribbean students is an honour because it has been a dream of mine to feature in the Future Leaders magazine since I was in sixth form when I saw my brother feature.

Magazines like this are so vital because platforms sharing the achievements of Afro-Caribbean students are largely absent from society. This magazine creates a stage for role models for the next generation of students to be inspired by, which is clearly needed given our low rates in higher education

Many disadvantaged students like myself have felt a great need to grab every opportunity presented to us, and go the extra mile throughout our time at university in order to build up social and cultural capital equivalent to that possessed by our counterparts. To have these achievements recognised by such an empowering platform is a real privilege.

I will be starting my graduate role with Teach First in September 2021 and hope to utilise the skills and knowledge that I have gained from the Parliamentors programme to build my political awareness and presence on the side.”

Read the full list of the UK’s top 150 outstanding African and African-Caribbean students here.