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.