English/Irish | Jamaican
My Mum was a single parent who worked hard to look after us but for her it was about survival which left little time for deep discussions and explanations about race, cultures, and identities. It would have been difficult for my Mum who would have been learning too, there were no resources available at that time to help us navigate these experiences or to make sense of them. Being mixed-race drives me to undertake a deep dive into my ancestry, to step out of my comfort zone and that of others so that I can ask questions about my heritage. I was thrilled to find resources and safe spaces such as @mixedracefaces, podcasts & groups that discuss the complexities of the mixed experience.
I have worked at senior levels within the NHS & currently work within healthcare academia as an Associate Professor - Head of Department. As a mixed-Black woman I am more likely to experience conscious & unconscious bias as well as derogatory discriminatory behaviours due to the unique challenge of navigating race and gender inequalities. This can have a significant impact on career progression and promotion, which is demonstrated by the current figures showing a significant lack of diversity within senior roles across the NHS & academia.
The lack of role models and individuals who look like us with the same lived experiences is a significant barrier to mixed-Black women attaining senior roles. The vulnerability and hypervisibility places additional pressure on us to become chameleons within the workplace for fear of repercussions within recruitment processes or being accepted amongst our peers. Navigating these challenges can have a significant impact, physiological & social stress that can lead to racial battle fatigue cannot be ignored.
I believe that it is hard to be what you cannot see so I have always utilised my knowledge, experience, and positions to be a role model. There have been many times where my ethnicity, age and gender have impacted me not having a seat at the table. So now I bring my own chair & table to ensure that there is clear representation and that there are fair and equitable opportunities for all.
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