I started listening to Hip Hop as an undergraduate at London College of Fashion, and I was immediately attracted to the raw street poetry, which reflected life. Soon, by a friend I was introduced to the artist Tupac Shakur, where there were references to the street gangs of ‘Bloods and Crips’. So, hearing the reclaiming of the term in a positive context by Leroy F. Moore Jr is powerful, using its historical context, which is based in the story of a disabled gang member.
Watching Leroy F. Moore Jr perform 2018 Invisible Man (Captioned) poetry on YouTube ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJht0W-TBEc) was inspiring. There are times in the design studios, I have the opportunity to play music in the background, whilst students as working. With this activity, I can develop a space to include ‘Poetry’ and here I can introduce the aforementioned work into the design environment.
I have not yet had a student on BA (Hons) Bespoke Tailoring, who has had to use a wheelchair or crutches long term. Reflecting on experiences, there was a time when a Year 1 / Level 4 student had an accident. At our Mare Street campus, there are no lifts. In this particular circumstance, I had a three-hour design lesson scheduled for a session on the 1st Floor. This meant all students were required to walk up two sets of stairs. The student who was disabled to do this, sent me an email an hour before my session was to start. I felt compelled to evaluate the situation and response. So, sharing the situation with a supportive colleague, we managed to check room availability and move the session to a room on the ground floor. Therefore, enabling a reasonable adjustment to be inclusive, so that all our students could participate in the prepared session.
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