Zeinab El-Touni (she/her)

Zeinab is a placement student from the University of Bath, working on the ‘Mapping and Gapping’ Voice and Influence Project – Race and Ethnicity Focus. She has strong interest in equality, diversity and inclusion, social justice and the way in which policy and institutions shape people’s experiences and opportunities.

In this role, Zeinab focuses on researching and mapping needs of population discriminated due to race and ethnicity across South West England and South East Wales. This project engages with community and partnership building to understand existing provision and explore lived experiences of racism and discrimination to identify gaps in access, representation and influence.

Growing up in a mixed family has shaped Zeinab’s understanding of inequality, culture and social structures, and strengthened her commitment to creating more inclusive communities. Through her studies, she has developed research and critical analysis skills, with a particular interest in issues around race, discrimination and social inequality.

As part of her International Baccalaureate, she has worked on a project examining how political art challenges Britain’s colonial past. It taught her the importance of bringing social justice to marginalised communities and deepened her understanding of policy making and its impact. Through this as well as more recent project, she has gained experience in designing research questions, synthesising and engaging critically with academic literature.

Alongside her studies, Zeinab is an athlete specialising in the 100m and 200m, and has competed nationally and internationally. She has also gained experience through volunteering and working as an athletics coach for children that has strengthened her communication, initiative and organisational, and teamwork skills. These experiences allowed her to combine her passion for sport with her commitment to supporting people from diverse backgrounds.