Celebrating Black History Month: ‘I’ve always been conscious about who I am’

“In the wake of George Floyd last year, I was stuck at home and unable to escape social media. My White friends were horrified and so was I, but for me it wasn’t anything new. However, I felt I needed to do something. Anything. I couldn’t just reshare posts and chat with family and friends about what it’s like being mixed Black British.

“So, when the opportunity to be part of something in my work life came along, I snapped it up. At my previous role, as I was flourishing as a Bid Manager, I was also the chair of our Black Lives Matter Working Group and was happy to see my successor get nominated for an EDI award last month. At Telent, as well as being on the ED&I Steering Group, I also sit on CAMRA’s (Campaign for Real Ale) IDE Working Group.

“Talking about Race has always been important to me. It’s fascinating and important to know where I’ve come from. But it’s also important to spark the conversation. We were all moved and horrified by George Floyd and, recently, by the Sarah Everard case which has sparked outrage, reform and debate.”

“Growing up light-skinned mixed race, I’ve always been conscious about who I am. My siblings and I compare skin tone and I’m lighter than my other mixed friends, so I often get told I’m not really Black. To paraphrase the character Bow from Black-ish: ‘If I’m not black, then somebody tell my hair!’. I have very thick and very curly hair.

“It was a constant struggle growing up, I’ve cried at canerows*, sat for 10+ hours for braids, had my ears burnt from hot combing, and my scalp burnt from hair relaxing treatments.

“*Fun fact – cornrows tend to be African American, canerows tend to be Afro-Caribbean and based off what fields slaves were forced to work in: corn or sugarcane.

“When I was 15, I got my first pair of GHD hair straighteners and I straightened the hell out of my hair for over 10 years. Now? I love my natural hair! I change it up almost weekly, if not, at least monthly. I love box braids, head wraps, curls, twists, knots and I enjoy my natural Afro-Caribbean locks!

“My Dad’s parents come from Barbados, but they met over here in Birmingham in the 1960s. For those who might not be aware, racism was rife in 1960’s West Midlands. It was a time that saw Enoch Powell deliver his “Rivers of Blood” speech, the only UK faction of the KKK, and a Tory campaign with the slogan: “If you want a n****r for a neighbour, vote Labour”. Racism was so rife, that Malcolm X felt compelled to visit, coming to Smethwick in 1965.

“My parents have also experienced a great deal since then. My Dad told his teacher as a child that he wanted to be an astronaut and his teacher replied that that wasn’t a job for a “negro”. When my Mum was pregnant with me, she was told to get rid of me, because “mixed raced children have no place in society”.

“Growing up, I was bullied for who I am: for my hair, for not being ‘Black enough’. Racism might not be as in the public eye as it was in the 1960s, but I’ve seen my brothers get stopped and searched by the police just for walking by. I’ve been in the car with Black friends who have been pulled over by police officers for no reason. Statistically, I’m also four times more likely to die in childbirth than my White counterparts.

“I think Britain’s Black history and the history of racism should be taught in schools across the UK to educate the next generation. At the most, I remember learning about Martin Luther King Jr. but the American fight for civil rights isn’t the same as ours here in Britain. It’s important to remember Britain’s history, as not teaching it is as bad as ignoring it.

“George Floyd opened the world’s eyes, but it’s important to remember Black British names like Darren Cumberbatch, Dalian Atkinson and Joy Gardner.

“But we should also not forget the millions of Black British people doing amazing things, such as David Lammy, Charlotte Mensa, Benjamin Zephaniah and countless more. I’m proud to be one of them.”