Mixed Blessings workshop: Viewpoint from Yasmen, a participant

The recent Mixed Blessings Workshop in November created space for honest sharing and meaningful connection among people with mixed ethnic heritage. Yasmen, one of the attendees, described what made the gathering so special.

Participants began by introducing themselves and sharing the reasons for their presence. For Yasmen, the motivation was deeply personal: “I wanted to hear about people’s experiences of being of a mixed background to know how I can be a better parent to my newborn son who is of a mixed background.” It was, in her words, “lovely hearing from people from all walks of life—sometimes, we don’t ever get to sit back and have the time to hear of people’s life stories.”

Yasmen’s highlight was the atmosphere created by the facilitators and fellow participants: “For me, I felt welcomed and privileged to listen to people’s life experiences. It was intimate and inspiring.” She also pointed to the vital importance of “the ground setting of rules led by the workshop’s facilitators, as it helped to create a safe space for all to open up.” She learned more about the realities faced by people of mixed backgrounds: “I was fascinated by the statistics that were shared about the disadvantages people of mixed backgrounds face, and how these systemic issues impact their lives.” These perspectives brought depth, compassion, and a call to awareness for everyone present.

“I believe everyone, regardless of your background or identity, should be educated about people from ethnic minorities, or other groups not of their own for many reasons. One, we live in such a diverse city, where we need to continue to support each other’s differences, not judge or critique them. And two, I’m passionate about equity. I believe we as a society should work together to give those of backgrounds who have been oppressed, the platforms they rightly deserve and haven’t been given in the past. Creating more opportunities, like this workshop, is the way forward to achieving this.” Yasmen concluded, “I just wanted to thank everyone again for their time in listening and learning from each other, especially the key speakers and Rev Kate for their time in facilitating this opportunity.”

The Mixed Blessings Workshop was an expression of our belief in creating safe spaces and working towards a truly inclusive community.

Chapel Member Sabrina Edwards co-led the Mixed Blessings workshop in November with Rev Kate Dean and Emily Momoh of the Camden Black History project. Read her blog post reflecting on her experience and why workshops like this one are needed here.