Jamie’s story
For Jamie, being Welsh has never meant fitting into a neat box. With Indian, Jamaican, English, and Welsh roots, she was raised in Newport in a culturally rich yet often complicated environment. Today, she’s the Maternity and Neonatal Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead Midwife for the Welsh Government, an advocate for change driven by personal experience and professional insight.
“My heritage has always been a blend of cultures and backgrounds,” she explains. “My mother’s father was half Indian; her mother was white Welsh. My biological father is Jamaican, and my dad, the man who raised me from when I was six months old, is white Welsh. So, my family is a mixture of everything, really.”
Growing up in Newport, her primary school years were joyful and uncomplicated. “I loved primary school,” she says. But high school was different. Choosing to attend a school outside her local catchment for better opportunities, she found herself disconnected and struggling to form close bonds. “I had friends, but I didn’t feel like I fit in. I didn’t connect with people. I didn’t really attend school much, and I left with just two A-levels.”
Although the school was multicultural, she still felt somewhat isolated. “It wasn’t about race for me. I had friends who were white, and there were other kids who looked like me. But the numbers were low. Maybe there was something about not seeing myself fully reflected. That lack of connection might have played a part.”
Today, her work leads her to be seconded at the heart of Welsh Government initiatives to address health disparities, particularly those affecting women from ethnic minority backgrounds. Her passion for this work is deeply personal. “I became a midwife because of how I was treated during my own pregnancy 19 years ago,” she says. “There was racism. I was made to feel stupid. My pain wasn’t taken seriously. There were so many microaggressions, and I just knew—I could do better. I would never let another woman feel that way if I could help it.”
That determination led her into midwifery, and now, into government leadership. Her current role focuses on reducing the shocking inequalities faced by Black and Asian women in maternity and neonatal care. “The statistics are clear,” she says “Black women and Asian women are still more likely to die during pregnancy and childbirth. Babies from these communities also have worse outcomes. One of the core reasons is systemic racism.”
Jamie explains that many stereotypes persist in healthcare. For example, Black women are stronger, feel less pain, or are more difficult patients. “These myths mean we aren’t listened to. We’re denied pain relief. Our concerns are dismissed. It’s not just maternity, it’s across the board: healthcare, education, policing.”
That’s why she is such a firm believer in the importance of representation and inclusion. “Having a seat at the table is absolutely essential, it’s not enough to be in the room. You need to be heard, your input needs to shape decisions, and it can’t be tokenistic. Having one Black person on a panel does not mean you’ve ticked the diversity box.”
Jamie’s work aligns closely with Wales’ Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan, but she acknowledges progress is slow. “We need policies that embed anti-racism across all systems. And people must understand their own biases. We all have them, but you can’t change what you don’t recognise. It starts with self-reflection.”
To her, belonging, is multifaceted. “My sense of belonging comes from being Welsh. Despite my heritage, I feel rooted here. I’m proud to be Welsh, and that shared national identity, especially when the rugby’s on, pulls people together. But true belonging also means being valued, seen, and respected for all parts of who you are.”
Today she is also deeply committed to creating inclusive environments for the next generation. Her children are growing up in diverse schools, but that doesn’t mean they’re immune to racism. “My daughter is mixed race and looks quite fair, so it’s not directed at her. But she sees her friends targeted and reports it to me. The school doesn’t always respond the way they should. And that’s the problem, racism isn’t being addressed.”
To make Wales more welcoming, she emphasises the importance of conversation and curiosity. “It’s about being open! Asking people about their culture, their values. Most people are happy to share, but we have to listen and not shut them down.”
“Don’t say, ‘This is Wales, and this is how it’s done.’ Recognise that everyone’s different, and difference should be welcomed.”
She also stresses the importance of integration, not isolation. “When people move here, they need to get involved in their communities, not just stay in their silos. It’s easy to stick with what you know, but it limits growth. We need to build relationships across cultures.”
Her greatest inspiration was her grandfather, a man of mixed Indian and English heritage who grew up in Newport in the 1940s. “It wasn’t diverse back then,” she says. “But he taught me that everyone is equal, no matter their skin colour, and everyone deserves the same opportunities. That shaped my values.”
Now, she hopes to be a role model herself. “Representation matters. You can’t be what you don’t see. It’s so important for young people, especially girls from ethnic minority backgrounds, to see someone who looks like them in leadership roles and think, ‘I can do that too.’ And they can.”
Despite the challenges, she remains hopeful for the future. “Wales is a welcoming nation. People are friendly. But there’s still a long way to go. We need to embed anti-racism into every system. We need everyone on board, not just those affected by racism. It has to be sustained, collective work.”
Her message is clear: change is possible, but it requires more than good intentions. It needs action, accountability, and allies. “If you don’t experience racism, it’s easy to think of it as someone else’s problem. But it affects us all. To be a truly inclusive nation, we need to value every voice—and give everyone a genuine seat at the table.”
Stori Jamie
Jamie’s identity has always been layered. With Indian, Jamaican, English, and Welsh heritage, she grew up in Newport navigating race, culture, and belonging. “My heritage has always been a blend of cultures and backgrounds,” but in school, she didn’t always feel truly seen.
Today, her work leads her to be seconded at the heart of Welsh Government initiatives to address health disparities, particularly those affecting women from ethnic minority backgrounds.
Belonging for Jamie is multifaceted. “My sense of belonging comes from being Welsh.”
“Despite my heritage, I feel rooted here. I’m proud to be Welsh, and that shared national identity pulls people together. But true belonging also means being valued, seen, and respected for all parts of who you are.”
Inspired by her grandfather’s belief that “everyone deserves the same opportunities. Representation matters. You need to be heard. Your input needs to shape decisions. It cannot be tokenistic. Inclusion must come with power, not just presence. To be truly inclusive, we must value every voice and give everyone a genuine seat at the table.”
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