What community means to Lindrae…a cherished engineering lecturer

What community means to Lindrae…
a cherished engineering lecturer at James Watt College

“Hello everyone.

When I was asked to share a few thoughts for Black History Month on the theme ‘Honouring Our Communities,’ I immediately started thinking about what the word ‘community’ means to me.

As a South African female living here in the UK, I carry two homes in my heart. Moving across the world teaches you very quickly that community isn’t just a place you are born into—it is something you actively choose, build, and nurture every single day.

In South Africa, we have a beautiful philosophy called Ubuntu. You might have heard of it. It translates to: ‘I am because we are.’ It means my humanity is caught up and inextricably bound up in yours. We are only whole when the people around us are whole.

When I first arrived in the UK, I had to look for that Ubuntu spirit in a completely new environment. And I found it. I found it in the neighbours work who smiled, the colleagues who supported me, and the vibrant, diverse Black and diaspora communities who create a home away from home. Honouring our community means celebrating that warmth, the shared history, and the way we lift each other up.

To the students reading this: you are the future of our communities. Your diverse backgrounds, your unique stories, and your roots are your superpower. Never forget where you come from but also know how much value you bring to where you are right now.

Let’s keep looking out for one another, celebrating our shared heritage, and living the spirit of Ubuntu every day.
Thank you.”