Conicavel author Olukemi Ogunyemi's autobiography Brown Girl in the Ring covers her experiences of living in Scotland, positive and negative

AN author and therapist from Conicavel has had a book about her life – including suffering racism and sexism – published.

Originally from the central belt, Olukemi Ogunyemi’s autobiography Brown Girl in the Ring outlines her experience of living in Scotland, from early childhood to current times.

She said: “Domestic and sexual abuse, anorexia, police brutality and court corruption all run with the main theme of racism and/or unconscious racial bias. Brown Girl came from despair. In June 2020, when Black Lives Matter dedicated their peaceful protest to Trans Lives Matter, I was devastated when there was no media coverage. This was a big moment for my family, for people of colour and for the whole black community.”

She added: “Brown Girl in the Ring is also about my, and my transgender daughter Joy’s, journey. The only way to change things was to share my story to raise awareness of how life really is in Scotland for a person of colour.”

Olukemi describes her struggle growing up as a mixed-race child. Racism followed her into adulthood as she became a mother of four. The family moved to Nairn 16 years ago because of the “institutional racism” they experienced in the Central Belt.

Olukemi said: “I lived in Nairn for eight years, running a clinic and a health shop with my husband. I experienced less racism until around the time of the independence referendum. When it got worse I relocated home and business to Conicavel, a beautiful, peaceful hamlet.”

Before writing Brown Girl, Olukemi was concerned about the level of unconscious racism in the wider area. But, as well as its focus on this, reviews also highlight her compassion and love for family.

She said: “Since sharing my experiences and receiving supportive feedback, I’m hopeful that society is becoming more aware of racism in all its forms, and that attitudes and beliefs are changing.”

Olukemi and daughter Tola featured in BBC Disclosure documentaries ‘Am I Scott(ish)?’ and ‘The Truth About Scotland and Racism’.

Olukemi said: “For things to change, people have to be aware - the way forward is through education. Tola has remained home-schooled since the beginning of the Covid pandemic. Since doing the documentary, she works part-time in the Co-op where she has two mixed race colleagues, one black and one deaf. Tola’s confidence and self worth have blossomed in this more diverse environment. She will be attending the University of the Highlands and Islands in September.”

Brown Girl in the Ring: Memoirs of a brown girl living in Scotland is available on Amazon.