Welcome to Mixed Up, a podcast for mixed people everywhere and for anyone looking into a deeper insight on race and identity. Hosted by sustainability consultant and creative director Emma Slade Edmondson, and Nicole Ocran, writer and co-founder of The Creator Union. The show is about straddling two worlds and multiple identities. Now more than ever, it feels like people of mixed heritage are seeking out their space to talk about their lived experiences. But despite searching, we could find very…
The one where we discuss the pressure to become skinny at any cost Emma and Nicole speak with Charisse Kenion, beauty and culture journalist, writer, photographer and podcaster. In her work she digs deep into beauty standards, cultural narratives and personal stories across identity lines over the past 15 years and has contributed to the likes of Dazed Beauty and British Vogue. We speak about the…
The one where you’re asked to choose a flag Emma and Nicole speak with mixed British-Japanese artist and counsellor, Denise Devenish. She works primarily with musicians and creatives having grown up in a family steeped in the music industry. She is the daughter of Kishi Yamamoto and Adrian Sherwood of On-U Sound fame and was surrounded by around iconic artists including Lee Scratch Perry, Ari Up…
The one where we call our white boy bredrins to tell them to use their privilege for their wives at the hospital Emma and Nicole speak to Nehanda Truscott-Reid, a maternal wellness coach and founder Soul Mama Journey, which supports women of colour through the transition of motherhood to healing from maternal burnout. She also hosts The Soul Mama Podcast and runs The Soul Mama Retreat, a sacred…
The one where sit down with South London’s worst kept secret 🤫 Emma and Nicole sit down with Sara Assad-Mannings, co-owner and founder of Bunhead Bakery. We talk about her lockdown journey of bringing Palestinian flavours across South London from stalls and pop-ups to a viral bricks and mortar bakery, growing up “ambiguous” but staunchly proud and intentional in sharing her Palestinian heritage…
The one with the mutual fan girling and a Land Rover to North Yorkshire. This week Emma and Nicole sit down with singer songwriter and beautiful soul Beka Prance. She is a master of the art of blending heart wrenching words and melodies and recently wrote the soundtrack for Apple TV show Trying. They talk about weaving life experiences of being mixed into the music, adoption, having two mixed…
The one where we talk about the book. Emma and Nicole are joined by Isabella Silvers, journalist and founder of Mixed Messages to discuss the release of their book, The Half of It. This time, Izzy interviews Emma and Nicole on how they got started, the book writing process, and themes from the book - history of mixed people from across the globe, understanding the root of mixed race stereotypes,…
The one where we collect markers to flag our identities. Nicole is solo this week speaking with Becky White, creator and co-host of The Halfie Project, a platform and community that explores mixed Korean subcultures and identity. The Halfie Project kindly contributed to our book, The Half of It. They discuss their relationship with language, the history of mixed Koreans and the diaspora, how we…
The one where we find the language to talk about our experience. Emma and Nicole speak to Farzana Nayani, author of Raising Multiracial Children: Tools for Nurturing Identity in a Racialized World. Farzana is Filipina-Pakistani and is a diversity, equity and inclusion specialist in race, unconscious bias, culture and identity. She has been working with schools and within corporate environments for…
The one where we talk about tackling the climate crisis with an awareness of social injustice Emma and Nicole speak to Mikaela Loach, climate justice activist, campaigner and author about coming from two cultures that have a very different responsibility around the climate crisis. They discuss atmospheric colonialism, the moment she took the government to court and how we can look to our ancestors…
The one where the cream rises to the top Emma and Nicole speak to Michael Caines, is a two-Michelin star awarded chefs and one of six Black Michelin star chefs in the world. Born in Exeter, Michael was adopted into a white family at a young age and his love of cooking lead him to apprentice under Raymond Blanc, and at the age of 25 a car accident lead to him losing his right arm. He discusses…
