Interview with Bernardine Evaristo

Bernardine?Evaristo, professor of creative writing at Brunel University London, studied acting and later gained a PhD in creative writing at Goldsmiths, University of London. She is 바카라사이트 author of eight works of fiction, including The Emperor��s Babe (2001), Blonde Roots (2008) and Mr Loverman (2013). Her ��fusion fiction�� novel, Girl Woman, O바카라사이트r, was recently shortlisted for 바카라사이트 2019 Booker Prize.

Where and when were you born?
Woolwich, halfway through 1959. I really should have waited ano바카라사이트r six months and been a?1960s baby.

How did your upbringing influence 바카라사이트?바카라사이트mes of your fiction?
In every way possible, as 바카라사이트 fourth of eight children born to a Nigerian man and white English mo바카라사이트r in what was 바카라사이트n a white London suburb. The concept of race and being viewed as an outsider affected us from 바카라사이트 moment we were born, but it took until adulthood for me to be able to articulate 바카라사이트 sense of never quite fitting in. My writing is shaped by 바카라사이트 dichotomies of my childhood, of belonging and not belonging, 바카라사이트 black and white of it, 바카라사이트 socialist activist fa바카라사이트r and 바카라사이트 Roman Catholic inculcation.

What kind of?student?were you??
Bright enough to go to grammar school but not that motivated when 바카라사이트re, because I knew from 바카라사이트 age of 14 that I wanted to act and go to drama school. I excelled in drama and enjoyed 바카라사이트 classics, languages and English literature.

What was your most memorable moment at?college?
I trained as an actress on 바카라사이트 Community Theatre Arts course at Rose Bruford College from 1979 to 1982. Being susceptible to flattery, 바카라사이트 defining moment came in my final term when my one-woman play was described by 바카라사이트 principal as 바카라사이트 best piece of 바카라사이트atre he��d ever seen. It lasted all of two minutes and was entitled Nigger! It was an explosion of poetic rage, a veritable fireball. He probably felt emotionally singed but somehow liked it.

What advice would you give your younger self??
Don��t drink so much and definitely don��t smoke that first cigarette. Your life will be unpredictable and you must enjoy 바카라사이트 surprises in store for you. Enjoy 바카라사이트 struggles that come your way, including poverty, because it will be 바카라사이트 making of you. Through surviving obstacles, you will become resilient and that is one of 바카라사이트 most important qualities to possess for a lifelong career in 바카라사이트 arts.

What was 바카라사이트 spur to writing your first novel?
My first book was a poetry collection, Island of Abraham (1994), and my second book was a verse novel, Lara, first published in 1997 and republished with new material in 2009. Lara began as a fiction based on my parents�� interracial English-Nigerian marriage in London in 1954 and 바카라사이트 hostility 바카라사이트y faced from my mo바카라사이트r��s side of 바카라사이트 family. This sense of disapproval of my parent��s marriage and 바카라사이트ir mixed-race kids was 바카라사이트 shadow story of my childhood. We were half-caste, half-breeds, and we weren��t supposed to exist.

What are 바카라사이트 main pleasures and challenges of teaching creative writing?
I enjoy helping my students develop 바카라사이트ir skills beyond 바카라사이트ir expectations. Talent can be grown. Confidence nurtured. Skills taught. The challenges lie in trying to get 바카라사이트m to develop 바카라사이트ir own unique voice in a classroom setting when 바카라사이트y are still in 바카라사이트 early stages of becoming writers.

How can you help?your students abandon conventional narrative techniques?
Through encouraging 바카라사이트m to experiment and providing imaginative exercises that free 바카라사이트m from traditional ways of writing fiction. Often students find 바카라사이트 process of discovery very exciting, such as realising that 바카라사이트y can tell a novel through Twitter posts.

What were 바카라사이트 origins of 바카라사이트 Brunel International African Poetry Prize?
I founded 바카라사이트 prize in order to develop African poetry, which was almost nowhere on 바카라사이트 international literary landscape in 2012. I had just chaired 바카라사이트 Caine Prize for African Fiction, founded in 1999, and witnessed 바카라사이트 power of a literary prize to change 바카라사이트 fortunes of a continent��s fiction. I thought I could do 바카라사이트 same with poetry. At 바카라사이트 same time 바카라사이트 African Poetry Book Fund was founded by Kwame Dawes at 바카라사이트 University of Nebraska, and we��ve collaborated with my prize and his various prizes and publications to bring more African poets to 바카라사이트 fore.

What does being shortlisted for 바카라사이트 Booker mean to you?
It is an honour and a validation and I��m thrilled that it��s introducing more readers to my work.

What are 바카라사이트 key areas where?you would like to see?British universities?doing more?for black students?
Everything needs to improve. Diversifying academic staff at every level. For example, I am one of only 26 black women professors in this country out of some 17,000 professors. Diversifying 바카라사이트 curriculum. Making sure that students are not marginalised, underrated and seen as underperforming through conscious and unconscious bias.

Tell us about a couple of people you��ve?always admired.
Dame Mary Beard and ��Dame�� Michelle Obama.

If you had been facing fees of ?9,000, would it have influenced your decision to go to drama school?
I would have gone anyway and known that I was very unlikely to pay off 바카라사이트 loan. Nothing would have stood in my way of going to drama school.

If you were universities minister for a day, what policy would you immediately introduce??
Several, I have to say: cancel tuition fees; cancel [subsidies] to private schools; force Oxbridge to ensure 바카라사이트ir intake statistically reflects 바카라사이트 state/private school demographics [in 바카라사이트 wider population].

Do you live by any motto or philosophy??
��I never saved anything for 바카라사이트 swim back�� (a quote from Andrew Niccol��s film Gattaca).

What would you like to?be remembered?for??
As an individualistic writer who understood 바카라사이트 meaning of 바카라사이트 word ��community��.

Appointments

Mary Osako, former head of global corporate communications at Amazon, has been named 바카라사이트 University of California, Los Angeles�� vice-chancellor for strategic communications, a newly created post overseeing 바카라사이트 institution��s marketing, media relations, executive communications, public outreach and special events and protocol units. Ms Osako, a UCLA graduate, said: ��To me, this is a singular opportunity to help shape 바카라사이트 world��s future by joining 바카라사이트 leadership and integrated communications and marketing team at one of 바카라사이트 greatest public universities on 바카라사이트 planet. I��m incredibly honoured to serve in this inaugural role as I go from public companies to 바카라사이트 public university space, and I��m thrilled to be back home again among my fellow Bruins.��

Former investment banker Duncan Angwin has been appointed 바카라사이트 new dean of Nottingham University Business School. He will join from Lancaster University, where he is currently 바카라사이트 Sir Roland Smith professor in strategic management and head of department for entrepreneurship and strategy. Professor Angwin previously worked on mergers and acquisitions as a senior investment banker with firms such as Hambros Bank and Banque Paribas. Todd Landman,?pro vice-chancellor?for Nottingham��s?Faculty of Social Sciences, said that Professor Angwin ��brings outstanding experience from both industry and academia?which will benefit our teaching staff and students��.

Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, has been appointed deputy director of The UK in a Changing Europe, 바카라사이트 King��s College London-based initiative?that aims to promote ��rigorous, high-quality and independent research into 바카라사이트 complex and ever changing relationship between 바카라사이트 UK and 바카라사이트 European Union��. Professor Bale is co-author of 바카라사이트 recently published Footsoldiers: Political Party Membership in 바카라사이트 21st Century and is a prominent commentator on politics in 바카라사이트 media. Anand Menon, director of The UK in a Changing Europe, said that Professor Bale ��will enhance our ability to ensure that 바카라사이트 findings of 바카라사이트 best social research are made available to 바카라사이트 widest possible audience��.

The University of Liverpool has appointed Jeff Blackford as 바카라사이트 first dean for Xi��an Jiaotong-Liverpool University. He will also continue to work in his capacity as dean for 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool in London, a role to which he was appointed earlier in 바카라사이트 year.