Brie Read: “Being different allows me to celebrate all the ways I am”
The CEO on changing locations, community and celebrating mixedness
Hi, welcome back to Mixed Messages! This week I’m speaking to Brie Read, Founder and CEO of Snag, a UK size-inclusive fashion brand. Brie is of mixed Indonesian heritage, and hasn’t always found Asian representation or community in the UK. She shares her story below.
How do you define your ethnicity?
My Indonesian grandmother used to say I was double blooded and I love that idea. I much prefer that to being half-anything. Most commonly though, I’ll refer to myself as being mixed race.
Has your sense of identity shifted over time?
I grew up in Asia and I felt very included. Moving to the UK for university changed that a lot - most people make the assumption I’m white and it made me feel like that part of me was ignored. As I get older, I find myself trying to reconnect with [my Indonesian heritage] through food and travel.
Have you always felt connected to your culture, or is that more recent?
As you get older, you definitely feel your ancestors behind you more and appreciate what they went through. You miss them more from your life. I wish I felt more connected with all aspects of my culture, but I think when you have lots of mixed elements it’s hard to find a community, as there isn’t anyone really like you.
Did you see any mixed representation growing up?
I didn’t really see much mixed representation growing up, but there are loads now and I love that: Olivia Munn, Chrissy Teigen, Liza Soberano. It’s great seeing mixed-Asian people in all walks of life.
I’ve had conversations with mixed-Asian people about how size and food is perceived, and how the two can sometimes be contradictory. Do you have anything to share about your own experiences?
It’s a strange dichotomy between food meaning love and thinness being everything. I remember a lot of lying about food when I was young: ‘don’t tell anyone I let you have this,’ ‘don’t tell anyone you saw me eat this,’ and my mum waking my brother up in the middle of the night to secretly eat with her. I think previous generations really struggled with it. I had so much focus on my weight when I was younger, now I don’t weigh myself and I set boundaries around those comments otherwise they would definitely still happen.
How would you like the conversation about mixed identity to change moving forwards?
There are so many more mixed people now and I think it would be amazing if it was something we could celebrate when we were young, really understanding the separate cultures and what it means for someone to be a mix of many.
What’s the best thing about being mixed?
Experiencing life in a unique way. Being different has allowed me to celebrate all the ways I am, and that makes me a much more accepting, dynamic and interesting person.
Can you sum up your mixed experience in one word?
Resilient.
Next week, I’ll be talking to author and producer Donia Youssef. Subscribe to get Mixed Messages in your inbox on Monday.
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Mixed Messages is a weekly exploration of the mixed-race experience, from me, Isabella Silvers. My mom is Punjabi (by way of East Africa) and my dad is white British, but finding my place between these two cultures hasn’t always been easy. That’s why I started Mixed Messages, where each week I’ll speak to a prominent mixed voice to delve into what it really feels like to be mixed.
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