"tHIS bOOK COULD NOT BE MORE TIMELY"

"Written with engaging wit, candour, and verve, and containing heart-breaking and heart-warming anecdotes, Bringing Up Race is a needed call to action for all concerned with a future free from racial prejudice.”

Sai Murray
writer/poet/graphic artist, creative director at Liquorice Fish and trustee of The Racial Justice Network

''Funny, truthful, and full of profound insights, Uju Asika’s writing is a gift for a parent like myself, attempting to navigate the precarious journey of raising a just child in an unjust world."

Courttia Newland
Author (‘A River Called Time’, ‘Cosmogramma’) and screenwriter for Steve McQueen BBC TV series 'Small Axe'


 "Uju Asika is a special kind of writer and this is a very, very special book.”  

Bassey Ikpi, New York Times Bestselling Author

BE COOL. BE KIND.
BE YOU.
Why I Wrote This Book
I wrote this book because I’ve experienced racism first-hand and I always envisioned a different world for my kids. We’ve made some progress on race and inequality since I was a child, but we still have a long way to go. Especially in the UK, where so much about race and prejudice and what it does to society has been left untold (or unspeakable) for far too long. We owe it to our children to do better. They deserve more.

As a mother of two Black boys growing up in Britain, I worry about an increasingly toxic and divisive atmosphere post-Brexit. Ultimately, we all want our kids to feel happy, safe and free. I believe if we want to raise a braver, kinder and more inclusive generation then we need to have more honest, thoughtful and sensitive conversations starting when our kids are young. 

Through my online communities and offline networks, I’ve spoken to many parents who are ready to do the work but don’t know where to start. Race can be such an awkward, sensitive and painful subject, no matter your ethnicity.

I wrote this book because I wanted to share some of my experiences, along with those of my children and other families, to help readers understand and empathise with what racism feels like. I also wanted to empower readers to talk about race with their families and to take action to challenge racism and bigotry however it shows up in their lives. 

I hope this book inspires readers to keep learning and to keep the conversations going. I want my readers to understand and to teach their kids that no matter who you are, what you look like or where you come from, race affects all of us. And we need to look after each other much better, because we are all connected one way or another.

Uju Asika
Uju was born in Enugu, eastern Nigeria and grew up in the UK. Her poetry and short memoir is published in select literary anthologies, including the landmark collection IC3: The Penguin Book of New Black Writing in Britain, edited by Kadija Sesay and Courttia Newland.

As an arts reporter in her twenties, Uju interviewed the likes of Denzel Washington, Idris Elba, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Gurinder Chadha, Spike Lee and Paul Schrader. She earned a graduate degree in journalism from New York University and worked as an online editor and freelance writer in Manhattan, Lagos and London.

Past credits include AOL City Guides, salon.com, Time Out, Poets & Writers, The Guardian UK and the Daily Times Group Nigeria. 
"I found myself nodding in agreement, laughing, horrified, sometimes in the confined space of a page. In mining the unspoken realities of our times, Asika strikes gold."

Courttia Newland 

Available on AMAZON UK & WATERSTONES now 
Mum. Hula-Hooping Enthusiast. #Guru.
Uju is married to Abiye, owner of award-winning street food brand Big Apple Hot Dogs. They live in north London with two boys, the original stars of her blog. As a family, they share a love of food, films and suffering through the highs and lows of being Arsenal Football Club supporters.

Fun fact: Uju’s family is descended from Onitsha royalty and in 2014, she became a titled member of the prestigious Otu Odu women’s society. She’s also a direct descendant of Julius Caesar (according to family legend, not necessarily grounded in reality)!

blogger. screenwriter.
creative consultant.
storyteller.

"Uju is a natural and gifted writer. My daily go-to blog on all things cool for kids in London and beyond."  Vicki Broadbent, Honest Mum

In 2010, Uju launched her blog/city diary Babes about Town, a multiple-award nominated lifestyle and family travel blog that targets fun-loving families with kids ages 0-12. Founder and Babe-in-Chief Uju Asika is a seasoned content creator (journalism, copywriting, screenwriting and editing) and curator of cool finds and experiences in London and Beyond. 

She is also Founder and Lead Strategist at Mothers and Shakers, a digital consultancy for content creators and family brands. 

Uju has also been a screenwriter or script editor on some of Africa’s most popular dramas including Hotel Majestic, Ajoche, Hush (script editor) and the award-winning Tinsel, broadcast across 47 countries. She has done brief stints in film publicity (Bullet Boy) and TV production (The Apprentice Africa). 

On September 3, 2020, Uju’s first book Bringing Up Race: How to Raise a Kind Child in a Prejudiced World is published by Yellow Kite (Hachette).

UJU ASIKA | Copyright ©2020 | All Rights Reserved
Privacy Policy  -  Terms & Conditions  -  Disclaimer
Powered By ClickFunnels.com