The Alleynian 712 2024

For our first guest speaker of the year, we welcomed Chici Omunnakwe, the designer and maker of the African and Caribbean tie. This was followed by another great presentation on African and Caribbean music in the UK. The final presentation of the Michaelmas term came in the form a Christmas quiz, where teams battled it out to be crowned the calypso kings. Following the break, we returned to a presentation from Arun Millar and Raoul Kemp, analysing the impact of Hip-Hop on black culture. This was followed by a series of guest speakers. Firstly, Dr Cocks discussed the novel Love after Love to celebrate Pride Month, in a thought-provoking talk highlighting the inequalities still seen today. Then we were joined by Alex Wheatle, who explored his experience of growing up in South London and how this inspired his book series, which tackles the issue of gang life. Finally, we had a collaboration with Economics society, with speaker Franklin Asante sharing his experience as the head of entrepreneurs at Coutts bank. African and Caribbean society has had a successful year with speakers from many backgrounds, ultimately achieving the goal of the society: to embrace our heritage. ◉ ART SOCIETY ELLIOTT FRENCH (YEAR 13) Art Society has had a remarkable year, filled with enrich- ing experiences and insightful discussions. We were hon- oured to host special guests such as Christian Coackley (OA) from Grimshaw Architects, who shared his expertise on the integration of art in architecture, inspiring us with his immersive architectural practice. Our students also led an engaging talk on gender and fashion, highlighting the intersection between art and identity. Additionally, we were privileged to hear from David Hepher, whose perspective added depth to our understanding of contem- porary art. None of this would have been possible without the unwavering support of our supervising teacher, Mrs Mackie; her dedication has kept Art Society at its peak. Art Soc welcomes all students from all years, so please come if any of our talks interest you. ◉ AVIATION SOCIETY JAMES CALLAGHAN (YEAR 11) A relatively recent addition to the ever-growing list of societies, Aviation Society meets every Tuesday to discuss

all aviation-related matters. We are also closely affiliated with the RAF section of Dulwich College’s CCF. Recent talks have included the history of the RAF, the impact of Pride on Aviation, and even the lost art of planespotting! Although a relatively small group, we welcome new mem- bers who want to give a talk, and anyone with a passion for aviation. Ties are available. ◉ BIOMEDSOC SAMUEL BÉTANCOURT CORTES (YEAR 12) BioMedSoc was once again a massive success this year with our external speakers and resident biology enthusiasts covering a breadth of topics. For Movember we hosted a talk on testicles given by a consultant urologist, Mr Ben Challacombe (OA), and we also had a fascinating talk by Dr Nuñez on immunology and her lifesaving work during Covid. As much as we love talks at BioMedSoc, nothing compares to the joy of

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THE ALLEYNIAN 712

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