Fashion Roundtable interview Banseka Kayembe, who had her story published by Mixed Race Faces and brought the project into Parliament, for the UK Parliament Campaign.

Mixed Race Faces is an organisation that captures portraits and stories of mixed-race people. We challenge the definition of the term mixed-race, it’s not so ‘Black and White’. Our goal is to raise awareness of the vastly growing population of mixed-race people around the world and how their mixed background and cultures influence the unique way they navigate their every-day lives.

Stories are subjective, allowing each person to be open, and truthful about their own life experience and opinions.

Tell me about the process of sharing your story with MRF?

I came across Mixed Race Faces through Instagram and got interested, and someone I knew had done their story with them so I reached out. I thought a lot about my identity before meeting them. They give you a few questions to answer so there I was already thinking about the subject of what it means to be mixed race before going to meet them.

In the day I went to get my picture taken, I was grouped with around six other people and we were encouraged to speak about our identities. We sat in a cafe and had a very interesting conversation about mixed experiences, and how these experiences differ according to which heritages people come from. No one came from the same two heritages, so naturally our experiences were quite different in some aspects, but also quite similar in other regards.

Before taking part in the project, I hadn’t really thought about my two heritages. I always labelled myself as a Black woman or a BME person and had not given a lot of thought to the Punjab aspect of my family and how that shaped my identity. In the group I met someone who, like myself, was half Black and half Asian and it was lovely speaking to them. It really helped in terms of the exploration of who I am and what my identity is.

Why and how did you take the MRF project to Parliament?

In the context of Parliament, the project really helps understand what the institution is now and how it’s changed throughout the years. It is and is still seen as an old school institution built for middle aged white males, and these conversations are important to understand what Parliament is now. Uncovering these stories uncovers Parliament as it is now, and gives voice to people who otherwise would not have a chance to talk about issues of race and identity.

MRF was working with the Institute of Cancer Research and mentioned looking to work with other organisations. It was a quick process, but I probably would not have thought of it if they had not mentioned working with other institutions. At the time, MRF were also doing a project with Oxford University, which has a similar vibe to Parliament.

How receptive were Parliament staff to the project?

At first, it was tricky to generate interest. Finding initial participants was hard, as people tend to not want to over expose themselves at work and put themselves on a platform - no one wants to be the first person, especially in the context of your workplace. But as soon as a few people started doing it, the project gained momentum and the interest grew.

Because identity is more about how you perceive yourself rather than what others think of you, we spoke to some people who were mixed heritage but did not label themselves as that. We also spoke to colleagues who were white passing but felt very strongly about their mixed heritage but felt like they were questioned about their mixed background and had to prove their identity.

As well as Parliamentary staff, two MPs took part in the project. MPs tend to be harder to engage with, simply because of their schedules and availability, so it was great to see interest from them.

How does Parliament address questions of diversity?

Parly Reach is Parliament’s affinity network that addresses race and ethnicity, and there are formal structures in place against racism and discrimination. But despite these formal structures, racism still occurs. Parly Reach conducted an internal report, asking a number of BME staff how they felt working in Parliament. Respondents felt that they were more likely to be questioned about their decisions, and more likely to be questioned about their security clearances for being in certain areas. Recently, there was also a bullying and harassment scandal towards Parliament staff, which had a racial element to it. There is still a long way, and the formal structures differ to what happens on the ground.

The role I see MRF taking is facilitating these conversations, and they are a great way to help people understand each other and understand those who have different experiences. They do this in a very subtle way, by sharing individual stories.

Conversations about diversity in Parliament tend to focus on MPs rather than staff. It is great to see that the stories of staff are put in focus.

The project does include two MPs, and it is very important that it does as it shows there is diversity throughout the organisation and on the top of the organisation. But Parliament is more than the MPs.

Behaviours related to race and heritage are very unconscious, and MRF facilitate seeing who people actually are rather than imposing stereotypes based on looks. Being mixed heritage is the ultimate symbol of diversity: different cultures and narratives coming together in one person.

Did anything surprise you during the project?

I was very positively surprised with the MPs who were up for participating - they are so busy, so it’s very special that they were willing to take time to engage with us. And in doing so, we saw the more human side of MPs, which broke from their set lines and messaging allowing for a personal and very real conversation.

I was also challenged to think about the term ‘mixed race’. One of the participants drew attention to the roots of the word - coming from colonialism and tribalism - and questioning its use today. Race is a social construct, and we are trying to talk about culture and heritage rather than race. The juggling of identities and the diversity in people comes from growing up in different cultures, and how these can complement each other but sometimes come into conflict.

The project also taught me about the concept of third culture, which is when your parents come from two different cultures and you grow up in a third one. When you are mixed heritage and have grown up in a third culture, your experience is not the same as what your parents experience. This is something that resonates with me, and the project overall generated a lot of self reflection and brought a better understanding of who I am.

Before MRF, had you ever given much thought about the nuances of what being mixed heritage entails?

MRF opened a Pandora’s box and I am now more aware of both sides of my heritage and how they affected me growing up. I grew up just outside London, and the area was a lot less diverse. At the time, it was cool to the Jamaican or Carribean, but it wasn’t cool to be African or Indian; it’s not that I tried to hide my identity, but I also wasn’t showing it off. Now, I am very proud of my two heritages and am seeking to learn more about them.

The project highlights the power of storytelling, how and where will the content be distributed?

MRF are great in explaining things in a very human way, and the stories people tell are very powerful. The Parliament project also allows for people to learn new things about their friends and colleagues, which might have not come up in conversation.

The stories will be displayed on the MRF website, with a story being released everyday starting and ending with an MP. We are also working on turning this into an exhibition in Parliament, and the project built a community of people and we want to find ways to bring everyone together.

Finally, before you came across MRF, did you have a sense that such a project was needed in your life and workplace?

No, which I know sounds very strange. MRF prompted me to question what it means to be mixed race, as previously I thought mixed race was the same as BME. Parents of people who have mixed heritage usually do not experience defining their identities, and it is interesting to understand how to pay tribute to both.

In school, it was very common to play sports in white vs. Black teams and being mixed race you don’t fit in either category. The project brought about a new way of looking at myself and I will definitely be learning more about both my parents’ cultures, which is quite an easy thing to access in London. I am also going to India for the first time for the Commonwealth Youth Parliament, and hope to do some exploring whilst I’m there.

What are the next steps for the project, and how can this conversation progress in Parliament?

This is something that we need to think about, because it is valuable to keep the project alive. I guess the next step would be to formalise some of the conversations, by raising further awareness, reaching out to people and eventually organising events.

In your opinion, what are the ways in which the MRF project can make a real difference in the lives of participants?

People are not often asked about their experiences of being mixed race - there are conversations about the experience of BME people, but it is different to being mixed race. So on a personal level, it gave participants the opportunity to speak about the specific challenges and nuances of having a mixed heritage in a very safe and understanding space. It is easy to feel that when speaking about these things, we are making too big a deal about our experiences. The project was also great in raising awareness about what it means to be mixed heritage, and gave people an opportunity to further explore that and consequently learn more about themselves and be proud of that.

Some of the participants were very white passing and struggles to embody their mixed heritage because they do not look mixed. But this is about knowing who you are, which is common to everyone, and is not something that only people of mixed heritage experience. It is very empowering to tell your own story and define who you are.

I am really happy about the launch of the project, which will be features on their social media. Hopefully, they will further expand and work with other organisations.

https://mixedracefaces.com/

IG: @mixedracefaces

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrNpwqYwkoAc5UZKW3Hc1kA

Q&A with Banseka Kayembe, Who Brought the Mixed Race Faces Project into Parliament