Irish | Jamaican
Mixedracefaces have collaborated with UK Parliament to profile some of their staff members and MP’s , helping raise diversity awareness and to highlight that there is a place for everyone in their workplace.
My Mother is from Belfast, Northern Ireland and my Father is from Black River, Jamaica. The Irish and Jamaican cultures have many similarities such as being warm people therefore it was easy for them to combine. Both cultures experienced major migration and found it challenging to integrate themselves within the British society due to the discrimination and racism they faced. What really contributed to a successful mix of culture in my family was the fact that my parents were both open minded and had a good understanding of where each other came from. Now that I live in London, I’ve been able to reconnect with my Jamaican roots by roaming different Caribbean influenced areas such as Brixton. I connect with my Irish side mostly through music, as I really enjoy Irish music and the love for it was brought on by my Irish grandmother who could dance, sing and in her youth spoke fluent Gaelic. I am also interested in the history of Ireland and Jamaica, when I have the time I enjoy reading about up about both countries. When I was younger my outlook on being mixed-race was troubled due to the racial abuse I experienced, I didn’t see myself as different, but others did. I am content with being mixed-race/of dual heritage now as an adult. I like the idea of this campaign promoting that mixed-race individuals deserve recognition for both sides of their heritage. For example, Barack Obama has only been regarded as being the first Black president and to me this ignores his mixed-race identity, he should be celebrated for having dual heritage. As I get older, I hope that I’ve already been through the worst of being mixed-race and after living in London I don’t predict being mixed-race will be a hindrance in my future. Parliament is incredibly inclusive of my mixed-race identity. Parliament offers an entire Diversity and Equality department. There are a variety of different ethnicities working here who are accommodated for and work here with complete transparency.
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