Uju Asika, Renowned-Speaker on Anti-Racism, Launches Children’s Picture Book, A World for Me and You (Where Everyone is Welcome)

Photo Credit: Storm Davidson

Uju Asika is a multi-award nominated blogger, screenwriter and creative consultant. She is the author of the critically acclaimed book Bringing Up Race: How to Raise a Kind Child in a Prejudiced World (Evening Standard Best Books September 2020). Her latest publication is the children’s picture book A World for Me and You (Where Everyone is Welcome) which is a joyful celebration of diversity. The picture book offers a wonderful resource for parents to talk about difference, inclusion and empathy with their younger kids.

Uju delivers regular talks on anti-racism, parenting and the creative journey and has appeared on various panels, podcasts and media including BBC Woman’s Hour and the NASA Johnson Space Centre parenting network. A former journalist, Uju writes the popular London family lifestyle blog Babes About Town. Born in Nigeria, Uju grew up in the UK and has lived and worked in London, New York and Lagos. She is based in north London with her husband Abiye and their teenage sons. Follow Uju @babesabouttown across social media. A World for Me and You is on sale at bookshops now, including Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/World-Me-You-Everyone-Welcome/dp/1526364123

FWM: You are the author of the critically acclaimed book, Bringing Up Race: How to Raise a Kind Child in a Prejudiced World. Tell us about your book.

Bringing Up Race is a personal exploration of growing up in a world where race matters. It’s also a practical resource for parents who want to raise anti-racist children. In the book, I share my journey as a Black mother raising my kids in the UK as well as stories of parents from different racial backgrounds. The book includes detailed research showing how race impacts us from babyhood and why we need to tackle racism at both a systemic and a personal level. My goal for writing this book was to heighten awareness and to give parents the confidence and the tools to have open conversations with their kids about race. Because what we teach our children now can shape a better future for everyone. Bringing Up Race came out in 2020 when it seemed the world was waking up to these issues. I’m so grateful for how people of all ages and ethnicities have responded to my book.

FWM: You are a much sought after speaker on anti-racism and have appeared in various media, including BBC Woman’s Hour. What are the pressing issues of today? Where can we expect to see you next?

I have a number of speaking events lined up, including something quite exciting in the autumn although I can’t disclose that yet. My most recent appearance on BBC Woman’s Hour was in a discussion on talking to kids about race and encouraging diverse friendship groups. We’re living in a time of great division, including social and political binaries. But if the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that we need to work together to survive. That’s why I advocate going outside your comfort zone and raising your kids to think of themselves as global citizens. We need more children who believe in embracing difference, fairness and community.

FWM: Tell us about your new Children’s picture book, A World for Me and You (Where Everyone is Welcome).

I’m in love with this book! It’s my first picture book and it was such a joy to create. The illustrator Jennie Poh is incredibly talented and did a wonderful job bringing my words to life. A World for Me and You teaches young children about diversity and empathy in a really fun and non-preachy way. In the book, we picture a world where there’s no color, or where everything (and everyone) looks the same. Then we contrast that by celebrating the many colors, skin tones, faces, flavors and languages that make up our incredible planet. You can’t read it without a smile on your face and I’ve had grownup readers tell me they shed tears too! I wrote A World for Me and You so that more children could see themselves in a mainstream book and I’m super proud of how it turned out.

FWM: Please share a special anecdote.

When the publishers sent across the first illustrated page samples for the book, I burst into tears. I think I’ve cried at pretty much every stage of seeing this idea come to fruition. I also get teary when people share pictures of happy kids holding my book. It’s been an emotional journey because it means so much to me that children — and particularly, children of color — can feel seen and valued. I’m also crying for the little girl inside me who longed to see herself in stories. I wrote a letter to my childhood self on the day before the picture book was published. It would be amazing to go back in time and see 4-year-old me holding this book!

FWM: What did you enjoy the most when writing this book?

I enjoyed the process of writing for a younger audience. Picture books are deceptively simple. You might think because there are fewer words (in some books, no words at all) that they’re easy to knock together. But in a way, it’s like writing poetry. You have to think really carefully about your word choices. How to weave your message into a story that’s entertaining for children and for the adults who will read to them. My mission is to keep spreading the message that diversity is both completely natural and a thing of joy and wonder. I’d love to get my books on shelves in homes and schools all over the world.

FWM: You are also the founder of Mothers & Shakers for award-winning bloggers. Tell us more.

Mothers and Shakers is an idea that evolved out of my connections with parent bloggers. After running my family lifestyle blog, Babes About Town, for a few years, I assembled a team of bloggers to create a digital consultancy. We offered social media services to brands and also ran blogging workshops for creatives and entrepreneurs. Our client business and workshops have been on pause since the pandemic. However, we’re still open to private consultations and we might get a workshop or course running again in the near future.

FWM: What’s next?

Right now, I’m writing my next non-fiction book. I’m at the early stages of writing which is often the trickiest part, as you’re dealing with so much brain clutter and imposter syndrome. Obviously I’ve written a book before, so that helps, although second book panic (I guess it’s my third book now) is a real thing! I’m also a screenwriter although I haven’t actually written anything for the screen since 2019, when I turned my focus to writing books. However, I have a number of ideas bubbling away. So stay tuned!

A World for Me and You is in bookshops now. Buy it online at:

Amazon (UK only): https://www.amazon.co.uk/World-Me-You-Everyone-Welcome/dp/1526364123

Book Depository (worldwide delivery): https://www.bookdepository.com/World-For-Me-You-Uju-Asika/9781526364128

Bookshop.org (affiliate link) https://uk.bookshop.org/a/8978/9781526364128

Waterstones https://www.waterstones.com/book/a-world-for-me-and-you/uju-asika/jennie-poh/9781526364128