Dylan recently graduated from his BA in Politics and Philosophy. He is particularly interested in humanitarian aid, having previously volunteered with activist groups in Palestine and refugee charities in Calais. Dylan hopes the insight gained from his activism will equip him in leading the Structural Racism team for its current research project, which focuses on issues faced by refugees in Greater Manchester. Dylan's other research interests include colonial existentialism; specifically the work of Frantz Fanon, which he reimagines through critical and cultural lenses (i.e. Afrofuturism) in his undergraduate dissertation. Aside from his role at The Peterloo Institute, Dylan currently works as a Research Assistant.

Jessica is a second-year Politics and Modern History student. Her interests lie in research, and how social justice should be implemented through research-informed policy. Jessica aims to use her time at the Peterloo Institute to explore the barriers to education and work that structural racism presents - especially the problems faced by refugees - and thus how these barriers can be deconstructed.

Having recently graduated in Economics and Sociology, Penny now works for an educational inequality charity based in Greater Manchester, City Year UK. Throughout university, Penny chaired the Feminist Collective, volunteered with Queen Bee Coaching and acted as the SU's Women's Officer to run the annual Reclaim The Night protests. She currently chairs the fundraising group for Refugee Women Connect and is looking forward to contributing towards policy that supports refugees in the UK further.

Tamara is an undergraduate Economics and Politics student. Her interests lie in the politics of policy-making, particularly on finding the best possible methods to ensure that marginalised groups are heard and that policy is tailored to those groups. She also has an interest in humanitarian intervention in developing countries, and the ways they need to be enhanced so the populations of those nations have more of a voice. As a researcher in the Structural Racism team, Tamara is looking forward to working with a group of like-minded individuals keen on influencing public policy for positive change and a fairer society.

​Paige is currently pursuing her Political Science Masters’ degree in the Public Policy and Governance pathway. Her research interests focus on the rhetoric of the hostile environment and the impact of such rhetoric on voting behaviour and public opinion. As a Policy Advisor in the Structural Racism Team, Paige hopes to further her research to formulate informed, people-led policies to counteract many of the structurally racist policies in place in the UK.

Mia is a graduate of Politics and International Relations from Manchester University. She now works full-time at the Welsh Refugee Council. She is particularly focused on how the Refugee Project can shine a light on silenced stories, platforming and validating the voices of underrepresented groups in Manchester. She is super excited that the Peterloo Institute has partnered with MRSN – volunteering and building meaningful relationships with individuals who have lived experience with a hostile and ineffective Home Office. She hopes our research can highlight the dangerous incompatibility of the current BRP system with the governmental enforced ‘Move On’ period.

Jess is a third-year student of Politics, Philosophy and Economics at the University of Manchester; she has a keen interest in postcolonial politics and policy making. As a volunteer who teaches English to Syrian refugees through the organisation Elmbridge CAN, she looks forward to bringing her passion for improving the lives of refugees into this role.

​Nithini Mamidi is a first-year student at the University of Manchester studying economics. She works as a researcher in the structural racism team. She has always been interested in research and public policy. It started when she worked as a research intern for a political consulting firm and enjoyed the process of research and learning something new every day. At the institute, she hopes to learn new skills and produce research that can make a difference for the refugee community in Manchester. She also volunteers at a primary school, teaching English to immigrant parents in her free time.

Sofija is a recent graduate in Geography BA. She is particularly interested in shedding light on the effects that the increasingly exclusionary UK policy has with regards to migrants’ sense of self and autonomy. Having previously researched migrants’ lived experiences and national identities, she hopes to further explore the mundane, everyday and sometimes overlooked ways through which migrant lives are affected by policy.

Isobel is a researcher on the Regional Inequality team. She is a fourth-year American Studies student and writing her dissertation on indigenous climate resistance movements in North America. She hopes to become a public policy professional in the US.

As a first year Criminology Student, Celine’s passion lies in the fight for justice. Having started as an activist for climate justice and volunteered with a Sponsorship Agency for Refugees, she is especially interested in structural racism within politics and the Criminal Justice System. She is hoping that her work and research can help shaping policies in the fight for a just system.

Trinity is a second year Politics, Philosophy, and Economics student. Her interests lie in exploring the ideological motivations that inform government policies, especially the intersection of racism and national security. With The Peterloo Institute, she hopes to carry out rigorous research and data analysis to highlight harmful ideologies, with the aim of reducing their impact on communities.

Emily is a third-year BSocSc Politics and International relations student hoping to apply her experience in activism and local groups to the structural racism team. With her keen interest in feminist and post-colonial theory, Emily hopes to administer intersectional theory throughout her time at the Peterloo Institute to ensure everyone is addressed in her policies.

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