By Hanna Cox
A few weeks ago, I sat in on a session that used the phrase “inclusive design” without once mentioning race. It wasn’t the first time. And I doubt it’ll be the last.
Working closely with LCC Changemakers team — and through my conversations with Kevin — I’ve learned to recognise the ways university culture often upholds whiteness as neutral, unspoken and unchecked. Whether it’s in how we teach “professionalism” or what gets deemed “academic,” the message is clear: assimilation is still the hidden curriculum.
But here’s the thing — whiteness is not invisible. It’s everywhere. And if we’re serious about racial justice, we need to move past diversity metrics and into cultural literacy.
Decoding university culture means naming power. It means questioning whose values are embedded in “good behaviour,” “good design” and “good student.” It means designing beyond inclusion — and towards liberation.