Homerton alum Daniella Adeluwoye says her experiences fuel her drive to make change
Daniella Adeluwoye is now well on the road to becoming a criminal defence barrister, but this wasn’t the plan prior to attending university.
“I had no ambition to pursue law,” she explains. “I wanted to be a journalist and I’d started to build my portfolio in writing.”
The Homerton alum already made an impact with her writing however, with work published by The Guardian and other outlets, but she is clear on what motivated her decision to pursue law instead.
“You can see how the legal system turns somebody’s life upside down, and how distressed families often feel navigating these complicated legal procedures.”
Adeluwoye has first-hand experience of this when, aged 17, her father was involved in a car accident which tragically resulted in a fatality. The case went all the way to the Court of Appeal.
This period, coupled with her time at Homerton, fortified her desire to facilitate change with an immediate impact – but that was not always measurable with journalism.
She says that Homerton tutors supported her desire incorporate her interests into studies.
Adeluwoye grew up in Wood Green, North London, the daughter of working class Greek-Cypriot and Nigerian parents. Adeluwoye, who had a love of reading and literature from a young age, did not grow up in a ‘political’ household but describes herself as a Socialist, and argues for a fairer society for all communities.
We might hear this soundbite frequently – but Adeluwoye is sincere about what it means. Her generation grew up in the shadow of 14 years of government austerity which didn’t just slash public funds – they blunted the aspirations of many.
Adeluwoye has warm memories of her dad taking her to the library and of immersing herself in stories and literature from a young age. Soon she was ‘maxing out’ her library card.
School contemporaries around her didn’t lack talent, she says, but so many were on free school meals that it was almost the norm.
Her teachers, she remembers, instilled a belief and confidence that she could defy any restrictions that society may ascribe to her. “I felt incredibly lucky,” she reflects. “I felt, maybe naively, that I could do whatever I wanted and take on the world.”
She remains critical of the government, and was a supporter of Jeremy Corbyn but argues that people have a lot more power to transform society way beyond party politics – a belief backed up by action considering her current path. Adeluwoye has chosen law to support, and empower others.
I think a lot of change and transformation can occur in our communities, rather than relying on people in the political economical establishment. We have a lot of leverage to enact change, and I think it’s too easy to wait for a general election. - Daniella Adeluwoye
If Adeluwoye’s early experiences shaped her outlook, while being encouraged by parents and family to follow her dreams, she is also clear in not romanticising her upbringing.
She speaks about the many challenges facing those from less affluent backgrounds when it comes to social mobility and fulfilling potential.
“What comes to mind is the work experience offered in Year 10” she remembers. “It’s not the fault of my school and it speaks to a larger structural problem, and I remember a lot of my friends were offered retail jobs.
“And there’s no shame in that. My mum at the time was in a retail job. But a lot of my friends who were in gifted and talented academic groups were being offered to work in supermarkets or kebab shops. If they were academically capable, they could have broadened their horizons beyond what was in front of them. It felt disheartening.”
Adeluwoye herself worked in a chip shop between the ages of 16 and 20. She says that following A-levels she began contacting a number of universities, with her aspirations high.
She was surprised to eventually get the interview for Cambridge and although she wasn’t expecting an offer, also says that her parents were not surprised when she subsequently secured a place at Homerton.
Feeling overwhelmed at first, and aware of the privilege of some of the other students, Adeluwoye worked hard, remained dedicated, and found her niche at university.
“I really enjoyed testing out my ideas and them being thoroughly deconstructed and rebuilt again” she says. “I just felt so privileged that my tutors took an interest in me.”
Initially she’d wanted to focus on democracy and the Brexit result, but ended up gearing her studies around gender and race studies. She credits the atmosphere at Homerton and guidance from tutors with assisting her to hone in on what interested her most.
Having started out with plans to hopefully achieve a 2:1, Adeluwoye eventually scored a 1st class degree in Human Social and Political Science finishing 2nd in her class and 2nd in her cohort.
Not only is the former Homerton student making strides in her own career, but her own story, drive and commitment to lift up others will likely inspire others to do the same.
