I’m the oldest of three girls brought up in the 1970s in a small town in the north of England.
Dad had been brought up in Sri Lanka in a Christian family, mostly speaking English and it was the language of his education. We were one of the very few non-white families in the town, but I really didn’t feel different, having fairly pale skin. Just my name stood out. We were brought up Christians, attending our local C of E church which I think helped.
By the time I left university, ethnic diversity monitoring was all the rage, and I was convinced I got so many interviews as I’d ticked “mixed race”.
Through Facebook I’ve connected with many members of my Sri Lankan family around the world.
Today’s biggest problem is still the reaction I get to my name. Recent problems have included applying for jobs and enquiring about flats for student daughter.
If I give my English Christian name I seem to get a better reaction 😦
The more people talk about mixed heritage the better!
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Mixed Heritage Day 