Broadcaster's book tells vivid account of racism and struggles growing up in the Black Country

Wolverhampton Community Radio presenter, entrepreneur and model Susan Vickers put pen to paper to document her own upbringing in the 1970s and 80s as a mixed-race woman growing up in the city.

The book's title comes from Susan's mantra growing up, reflecting the era she grew up in, while also revealing details about her past that she said she hasn't spoken about before.

She said: "I was born in Wolverhampton to an Indian father and an English mother, so was mixed race at birth and was adopted by an all-white English family when I was very young.

"At the time, in the 1970s and 1980s, the National Front was rife across the UK, with graffiti everywhere, and so it wasn't a good time to be of colour back then.

"The book is about my trials and tribulations and the racism that not just myself, but my family and friends and people on the street went through.

"I was the only person that looked like this at my school and it was hard growing up because back in those days, you were segregated, you were put into pockets and you were either black, white or 'one of those', with no in-between."

The 53-year-old said she had had to distance herself away from her Indian heritage to be accepted by others, saying that she fought with her identity for more than 30 years.

The book's title, 'I'm not a Paki', was born from that struggle.

She said: "I was bullied and my sister was being beaten up at school and there were people who weren't allowed to be my friend because their family didn't want them to be seen with someone who was mixed.

"This book is my story of my battles at the time and the mantra I had to repeat to myself all the time, so I had to distance myself from being Indian to be accepted.

"I spent years from being a teenager through my 20s, 30s and 40s fighting against my identity, denying who I really was and if anyone asked where I was from, I would say Italy or Spain, anywhere except India."

It was through writing the book and exploring her past that Susan said it had helped her to reconcile with her past and start to learn to embrace her heritage, something she said had helped her see things in a different light.

She said: "I'm still learning to embrace it and I only came out about it when I started writing the book, as well as talking to friends I've had for 20 to 30 years and who never knew and admitting that I had lied to them back then and I was actually Indian.

"I've never had a curry in my life and I don't like spicy food and I've had to be conscious how to wear my hair and do my makeup and try to look as 'not Asian' as possible.

"However, now I've written this book, I've been able to speak openly about my heritage and see things in a different light."

Susan has spoken of her plans to write a second book, which is based on her journey to reconnect with her birth family, but said it was important for people to understand the journey through the first book.

She said that it had felt safer to write the book now than 20 years ago due to changing attitudes, but said the spectre of racism was still around and wouldn't go away in her lifetime.

She said: "It wasn't safe to come out as Indian in the 70s or 80s, while now, it is a bit safer for me to write this book, but I don't think we will eradicate racism in my lifetime.

"We're making small steps, but they're just not big enough and there's a lot of work to do, so I'm hoping that this book and the next one and the work I do will help to break down a few barriers.

"Hopefully, it will help other people who might be going through the same issues and help them realise they are not alone and see that I was ashamed of who I was before, but I'm not now and it's good to be in a world where people aren't introduced by the colour of their skin first before their name."

To find out more about Susan and to buy the book, go to susanvickers.com/#products.