Zander Brown

What’s your full name?

Alexander ‘Zander’ Aidan Brown.

Where were you born/brought up?

Nottingham.

What do you do for a living?

Video producer.

What’s your ethnicity?

Mixed - half Jamaican, half English.

How did your mum and dad meet?

My parents met at my Mum’s college end of year party. Dad didn’t go to the college!

How old were you when you became conscious that people saw you differently? What impact did that have on you?

Very early just within my family and primary school – people always comment on the culture differences, I’d be eating different foods, listening to different music, have different hobbies – this influenced me, giving me a better understanding and appreciation for the difference in people and cultures.

Describe your most memorable moments when you were made aware of being mixed race.

Firstly my Mum from an early age gassing me up everyday; I’m special, I’m different, I’m the best of both – me and friends being racially abused at a young age – being referred to as “lightie” or “nigga” from both opposing sides.

Do you feel your parents prepared you for life as a mixed race person?

Yes and no, many aspects they prepared me for: the discriminations that come with it; having to work harder than the majority, educating me on racism, hate and jealousy. But then no, I wasn’t prepared for attention or how I would affect people.

What ignorant comments have you heard about being mixed-race that really rile you?

Generalising & assuming, “bet your dad is black, mum is white” – “you look like XXX” – “lightie” – “mixed-raced men are fuckboys, players…”

What do you wish people who aren’t mixed-race understood?

I can’t generalise, I just wish more people understood what mixed race people represent - Gods blessing to show the world that colour doesn’t matter. This will annoy people but you didn’t choose your parents or where you was born. Take your country out of it - take your colour out of it - your parents made you without that in mind. So if people were born purple, we would still have racism but it wouldn’t stop people falling in love or reproducing. I don’t feel my identify should be determined just by my colour - I don’t feel like we have to choose a side, no cliche, but in my mind I am just a man.

Do you think mixed race people/families are well represented in the media?

Not correctly - the media will use mixed race people so white viewers accept black characters on their screens, so the mixed race actor isn’t being represented correctly, they’re barely represented with mixed parents or as a mixed character - in contrast lighter toned mixed raced actors are used as white characters. And I question why we need the term ‘BAME’? As soon as I’m born I’m categorised? Why is colour used to describe people unnecessarily? The media never categories or uses the colour white when describing a caucasian person - eg. “The first man to...” vs “the first black man to...” and as much as I am for celebrating our cultures accomplishments in contrast this gives the media the opportunity to use these words in a negative context. “Crazy man kills...” vs “Crazy black man kills...” - no we are just men too!! As a mixed British Caribbean I will always be described as a black man (which I proudly am) I’d just rather the media learn and state what mixed people are or just don’t use the colour at all.

Back in the late 19th century/early 20th century being mixed race held a stigma, as it was clear proof of interracial relations which was seen as an affront to society’s morals. Do you think it’s easier nowadays to be mixed race or is it more that racism has become subtler?

In 2019, living in big cities with more variety of cultures/colours gives people a greater opportunity to mix with another race, to fall in love with another race. In London and other multicultural cities racism ‘seems’ to have gotten easier, but not the rest of the country or the world so I don’t feel racism is more subtle - just a different form, my experience with racism, it has got worse as I’ve got older - it’s still a thing… It may not be as verbal, but there’s vast amounts of digital/online racial abuse and still clear systematic discrimination; wealth, employment, housing, surveillance etc…

Racism, unconscious bias and stereotypes are as strong as ever and for the majority of the country being mixed race isn’t white/British.

Is being mixed race a burden or a blessing for you?

Blessing. Every human’s colour and tone is a blessing.

Have you felt a struggle with your identity? If so, how did you deal with it and if you are now at peace with who you are, how did you come to a place of self-acceptance?

I’ve definitely experienced moments throughout my life where I’ve questioned both sides of my race. Trying to understand where I fit has taken time and experiences with all ethnicities, so I’ve come to accept the cards I was dealt because we don’t have control over who gives birth to us, how we’re born, where we’re born. I’m just influenced by my childhood, my parents’ morals and my multi-cultural environment.

What advice would you give yourself?

You don’t need to fit in, to stand out.