In the Academic Zoo, the frogs gathered every evening to sing in harmony. Their chorus conveyed messages of fairness, collaboration, and change-making. The larger animals, however, dismissed the frogs’ messages. “Too noisy”, grumbled the lions. “Unrefined”, scoffed the peacocks. The frogs persisted, their voices growing louder and more synchronised. But the zookeepers, weary of the commotion, built a thick wall around the pond to muffle their songs.
Undeterred, the frogs found a new strategy. They began recording their voices and sharing their songs throughout the zoo. Gradually, the other animals began to listen. The diligent beavers hummed along. The sparrows carried the melodies to far-off corners. Even the lions paused to enjoy the harmony that resonated through the zoo. Ultimately, the wall was torn down, and the frogs’ chorus emerged as a unifying force, reminding all the animals that change occurs when voices unite together.
Moral – academia cannot thrive when it excludes vital contributions from marginalised spaces. Inclusion strengthens the whole system.
Do you feel your voice is heard in academia?
Do you know someone whose voice silently exists in the periphery of academia?
Christa & Anne-Wil
