Charlie #mixedmonday

Hey everyone! My name is Charlie (she/her) and I am a 38 year-old Ops Manager, born and bred in Bristol. I have a 7-year old daughter who keeps my husband and I on our toes, and I am one of 4 sisters who keep our own parents on theirs!  

How would you describe your ethnicity? 

I would describe my ethnicity as ‘Mixed-Race’ and am so proud of my heritage. Both my parents were born in the UK with my Dad being of Jamaican heritage and Mum being a mix of English and Welsh heritage. What I loved about my upbringing was that I was always made to feel “so lucky” to be mixed race. The blend of cultures meant our household felt vibrant and enriched with the appreciation of diverse food, music and traditions. I would visit my paternal grandparents and be able to speak and understand patois and in the same day visit my maternal grandparents and be able to speak and understand Welsh…and of course let’s not forget Bristolian!  

Has your mixed-ness influenced your career in any way?

I work full-time in the Higher Education sector, where I provide operational and strategic leadership for a community of academic and professional services staff. I love my job! The point of my role is to essentially make sure the ship runs smoothly so that both staff and students have the best experience working/studying with us. In addition to my role, I am also a member of the staff parents & carers network and the staff global majority network – both communities centre around my passions in life to support and represent equity,equality, diversity and inclusion. 

Being mixed-race did have its challenges though. At school I never had that same sense of belonging to both white and black communities like I had at home. In fact, I felt alone for years given I was one of 2 mixed-race children in my year group in both primary and secondary schools. There was a fair bit of bullying in primary school, and countless microaggressions in secondary school. I cried a lot, often wondering why differences were highlighted as negative rather than celebrated.

What is the best thing about being mixed heritage?

My past experiences are why I now work so hard to create an inclusive environment in the workplace; and why I talk very openly about the beauty in difference and the richness of diversity; for me, that's the best part of being mixed-race.