We are delighted to share the brilliant news that earlier this year, recent graduate Candace Williams (Human Sciences, 2021) won the 2024 Wilma Crowther prize for her dissertation ‘Life, death and in-between for the ‘Black Maternal’ – How can we understand birthing trauma from an intergenerational perspective?’  

For her dissertation, as part of an undergraduate degree in Human Sciences, Candace explored the experiences of, and gave voice to, Black women from Britain’s African Caribbean communities who have experienced birthing trauma.  

Candace first became aware of the struggles of the British African Caribbean community after watching ‘The Black Maternity Scandal’, a documentary investigating birthing trauma for Black women in Britain. Shocked by the prevalence of birthing inequalities in the UK, Candace was inspired to investigate the biopsychosocial factors that lead to differences in birthing outcomes for Black women. An issue which is much overlooked in academic circles, Candace aimed to bring attention to and shed important insight on the topic.  

The Wilma Crowther Award is an annual prize for Final Honours School students who demonstrate meritorious work in their final examinations. It commemorates the the work of Ms Wilma Crowther, Fellow of Lady Margaret Hall and University Lecturer in Zoology.  

We are proud of Candace’s exceptional achievement with her dissertation, as a recipient of the prestigious award, and for her efforts to bring attention to the issue of inequalities in the experience of birthing trauma for Black women in Britain.  

As a former St Benet’s student, Candace settled quickly and easily at Regent’s and holds her time here with great affection. She is grateful for the warm, friendly, comforting and close community at Regent’s, and for the support of her tutors and Regent’s staff in her academic journey. 

In the future, Candace hopes to build a career as a Presenter and Producer, creating media that ‘inspires, uplifts and encourages.’ We can’t wait to see where she goes next. Congratulations, Candace! 

You can read more about Candace’s dissertation in this article by the Institute of Human Sciences.