An American IN LONDON

To be British in America is to be the subject of a mix of amusement and adoration, usually having something to do with the accent and air of civility. To be American in London is to be the object of a mix of scorn, wariness and, at times, reluctant admiration.

But to be a Black American woman in London is to be a curiosity. There simply aren’t many of us over here. And even fewer on British television screens and magazines. The lack of exposure can either create a general feeling of intrigue or suspicion.

Now, as I write, in an age in which identity politics continues to shape-shift, the idea of post-racialism is widely recognised as the myth it is. But