Mixed Other

'Mixed Other' : Racial Imposter Syndrome (RIS) is a psychological term that refers to a pattern of behaviour where people doubt their abilities and have a persistent fear of being exposed as a fraud. For people from mixed backgrounds, who may not look racialized or have cultural experiences of their background, it can manifest as the belief that they do not have the right to claim or present that identity. People can consistently feel doubt about how much they can assert the right when their identity does not align with their appearance. I’m half Nepalese and half English, however my parents divorced when I was 5, and my Nepalese father moved back to Nepal as he felt as though he was an outsider and no longer fit into British culture. I grew up in a mono culture, West Bridgford in Nottingham, which is a very middle class, white area. But, it's not just me, there are many other people from mixed backgrounds who have not been exposed to certain aspects of their culture and may feel as though they are unable to claim parts of their identity. ‘Mixed Other’ is a handmade publication based around the idea of heritage and identity. The book is bound by Japanese stitching and has a laser cut front title. Throughout the publication, the colour red and blue feature to symbolise both the Nepali and British flag fusion, and my own personal identity. As well as this, it also includes handwritten text, and old photographs to further enforce the intimate and personal feel this publication has. It takes the reader through my own self discovery journey, learning more about my personal heritage by interviewing the Nepali community. In addition to this, there are also interviews with other mixed race individuals to spread awareness and help build a community, ensuring nobody feels alone in their identity.