TheirStories
Building inclusion through storytelling.
TheirStories uses personal storytelling as a vehicle for building workplace inclusion, improving employee engagement, challenging bias, countering stereotypes, and developing a culture of belonging.
Everyone has a story – the experiences that have shaped us – the challenges we have faced and overcome – our successes and our mistakes. We can all learn something from each other’s story - that is the simple premise for TheirStories.
Created and facilitated by the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Team, TheirStories provides a platform for colleagues across the University to share their personal stories. This is a powerful way to engage colleagues in appreciating the value of difference and also amplifying the things we have in common, creating empathy to bring to life our vision of a truly inclusive workplace where everyone can be their authentic selves.
Programme of events 2024/25
- Marie-Annick Gournet - 'Journey of Discovery and Racial Justice’
Dr Marie-Annick Gournet, Associate Professor in Lifelong Learning and Inclusive Pedagogy; Reparative Futures Programme Mobilisation Lead and Director of Part-Time Programmes in the School of Humanities.
In the lead-up to Black History Month (October), Marie-Annick shares her journey, beginning with leaving her place of birth, Guadeloupe and her experience of moving to France at the age of 7. As the only Black child in her school, she faced racism, a challenge that shaped her perspective on social justice. She discusses the crucial role literature played in inspiring her activism and how it fuelled her commitment to equity. Marie-Annick also reflects on her leadership in spearheading initiatives both in her professional life and through volunteer work, all aimed at creating opportunities and addressing systemic inequities.
Dr Marie-Annick Gournet: 24 September 2024 - Watch the recording on our TheirStories Library. - Stuart Pope - 'A Langford life - working at Bristol Veterinary School for over 30 years'
Stuart Pope, Operations Manager, Bristol Veterinary School.
Commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Bristol Veterinary School, we welcomed Stuart Pope to TheirStories. After leaving agricultural college at the age of twenty-one, Stuart found himself working at the Veterinary School working as a junior research technician on the empathy and cognition of pigs and chickens. This was an unexpected turn of events for him because he had always struggled with dyslexia at school which, at the time, had not been fully understood and he was now in an academic world. ‘If you had asked me then what I would be doing thirty years later, I would never have suggested the role I now have.’
Stuart Pope: Wednesday 23 October 2024 - Watch the recording on our TheirStories Library. - Michele Acuto - 'Of intersection and intersectionalities or, putting cosmopolitanism into practice'
Professor Michele Acuto, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Global Engagement).
Professor Michele Acuto joined us during LGBTQ+ History Month to speak about his experiences of being a country boy at heart with a love for cities and of being a professional and semi-pro basketball player and talented chef. As a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, Michele is passionate about smashing workplace stereotypes and is driving the University of Bristol to become a globally civic-minded university that is welcoming and inclusive for all.
Professor Michele Acuto: Wednesday 26 February 2025 - Watch the recording on our TheirStories Library. - Palie Smart - 'Leadership and Personal Growth'
Professor Palie Smart, Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor for Global Civic Engagement.
For International Women’s Day 2025 we welcomed Professor Palie Smart (Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor for Global Civic Engagement) to share her story. From being a first generation university student to becoming the first woman of Indian Heritage to head a Russell Group management/business school, Palie talked of facing both racism and sexism at school growing up, juggling career progression and motherhood and her advocacy for the progression of women, having led on the FTSE 100 Women in Manufacturing EEF Report. Palie also chairs the University’s Athena Swan Implementation Group, is the Senior Sponsor of the Women’s Staff Network and is a VC-nominated sponsor in the WHEN 100 Black Women Professors programme.
Professor Palie Smart: Wednesday 5 March 2025 - Watch the recording on our TheirStories Library. - Michael MacBean - 'I took the scenic route'
Michael MacBean, Head of Staff Counselling.
This TheirStories event followed shortly after Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2025. Michael talked through his journey from South Wales to the University of Bristol and the metaphorical potholes, road closures, detours and heavy traffic which led to him taking the scenic route.
Michael MacBean: Tuesday 8 April 2025 - Watch the recording on our TheirStories Library. -
Watch Previous Years' TheirStories Recordings
Watch the recordings from 2023/24 and prior in our TheirStories Library. This is available to all UoB staff and most PGRs.