Yesterday, I was sat having a chinese meal, in Hollywood, Los Angeles with Alex (Mix-d: coordinator). In between crunching down seasome chicken with fried rice, drinking a glass of orange and gazing out of the window I couldn’t help but smile.
I thought to myself, “...imagine, from Wythenshawe to Hollywood?”. Wythenshawe is where this began, I had an idea and wanted to share it.
The idea was simple. To start a project and make a positive contribution to the mixed-race discussion.
I wanted to remove the awkward silence surrounding the subject.
Instead of dipping in and out of the subject occasionally with some interviews and questionnaires, the idea for the project was simply about putting mixed-race people at the centre of the discussion.
I didn’t want to start a campaign nor develop a ‘speaky, spooky’ manifesto: just start a big conversation. One which included all voices.
At the time, I had identified the key missing ingredient was EXPERIENCE and everyday language. I believe, if we are lucky, theory can grow from experience but experience always comes first. People always come before ideas.
Ideas come from stories and stories come from people - standard. I set out to collect as many stories from mixed-race people as possible. Over the last four years we have listened all across the Uk, have met hundreds of mixed-race people, recorded their stories, ideas and thoughts.
We are now in Hollywood, attending The Mixed-Roots and Film Festival in Los Angeles and talking with the leading mixed-race organising in the states. How amazing is that?
What a difference an idea can make?
Hi congrats on your blog and your journey. I am doing some research into the field of media in the mix, the use and impact of media in mixed households. I wonder if you organisation would be interested in getting involved. I will try and get in touch with more information.