Growing Up Mixed Race in Britain

Have you ever felt like you didn’t fit in, like you were different from everyone else?

For Jessica Parrish, founder of Shedid & Parrish, this feeling was something she knew well. Growing up as a mixed-race, adopted child in a mostly white neighbourhood during the 1970s, Jessica often felt out of place. Her adoptive parents, a loving English father and Canadian mother, always made her feel special and wanted. But even with all their love, Jessica still felt different because she didn’t look like her family or the people around her.

From an early age, Jessica knew she was adopted and mixed-race. Her parents were open about her background, telling her that her birth parents came from both African and European backgrounds—her mother was part Italian and Sudanese, and her father was Congolese and Belgian. Even though Jessica knew her heritage, growing up looking different from her family and the people in her community often made her feel left out.

What is Ethnicity: Understanding Identity

Being mixed-race, Jessica often felt like she was stuck between two worlds. She didn’t quite fit in with black communities and she didn’t completely belong in white communities either. This made it hard for her to figure out who she was. She was also bullied at school because of her race, which made her feel even more alone. Her family tried to help, but it was difficult for them to fully understand what she was going through.

Simple things, like filling out forms where she had to choose “other” as her ethnicity, reminded her that she didn’t fit into the usual categories. This small detail made her feel even more out of place.

Struggling to Fit In

As she got older, Jessica found it harder to accept herself. She didn’t see her curly hair as beautiful because it was so different from the straight hair of the people around her. Both black and white hair salons didn’t know how to manage her hair, which only added to her frustration. Her body, which she saw as too strong and big-boned, didn’t match the delicate look she admired in others. Without anyone around her who looked like her, Jessica felt even more isolated.

But over time, Jessica started to see her mixed-race background as a strength, not a weakness. Her ability to move between cultures became something she was proud of. Even though she didn’t fully belong to one group, she learned to find peace within herself. Travelling and experiencing different cultures helped her appreciate her unique background and gave her the confidence to embrace who she was.

Turning Challenges into Purpose

Jessica’s journey of accepting herself led to the creation of Shedid & Parrish, a 100% natural and vegan hair care brand for people with curly and textured hair. After struggling with her own curls, Jessica wanted to help others with textured hair feel good about their natural beauty.

Shedid & Parrish’s natural, vegan products are specially made for people with textured hair, giving them the confidence to embrace their unique beauty.

Looking Ahead

Today, Jessica is proud of her mixed-race identity. While she still has moments of self-doubt, she has learned to stand tall and accept both sides of her heritage. Her business reflects this journey, providing a space for others to feel strong in their differences and celebrate what makes them special.

Through Shedid & Parrish, Jessica hopes to inspire others to love their uniqueness and see the beauty in diversity. Her story shows the power of self-acceptance and strength. As more people start to recognize the beauty of diverse identities, Jessica’s message is clear: We are all on a journey to become our best selves, and that journey starts by accepting who we are.

By creating a brand that celebrates textured hair, Jessica Parrish is helping others feel understood, appreciated, and confident, no matter who they are or where they come from.

This blog was inspired by the invitation from Sophia Ukor and Violet Simon to collaborate on a piece to talk about the importance of being mixed race in Britain, you can find the original article here.