Many people believe that Britain is divided. Whether that be geographically with a north and south divide, politically after what happened with the Brexit vote or now through the cost-of-living crisis and the economic divide it’s causing.

Identity politics is another issue that can cause a divide and is a topic that Tomiwa Owolade has written extensively on. In his debut book ‘This Is Not America’, he looks at how a split away from American views on race and identity might help build an anti-racist agenda in Britain. We caught up with him to discuss the book, his freelance work and diversity within the media industry.

Can you introduce This Is Not America in a couple of sentences?

My book is about why we shouldn’t analyse race in Britain from an American perspective. This is because the black British population is different from the black American population, and the black British population is itself diverse. 

Could you tell us about how you came to write the book?

I wrote a column for the substack Persuasion in which I argued what I would argue in the book. This piece was published in October 2020. A literary agent read it, liked it, and suggested I turn the column into a book proposal. I did it with his help. A publisher called Atlantic Books then signed me up in summer 2021, and I started writing it.

What books are you reading right now, or about to pick up?

I’m currently reading Francis Wheen’s biography of Karl Marx. 

You mainly write on identity politics and religion, what advice would you give to anyone looking to write on these topics?

Countless people write about or have written about these topics. Try to make your perspective as fresh as possible. 

Some of the titles you write for on a freelance basis include the New Statesman, The Times and The Observer. What was the process like in getting commissioned by these titles and how can aspiring journalists get commissioned?

By sharing your work on Twitter and using it like Linkedin; by emailing editors of these publications with pitches which explain why your point of view on a timely topic is original and insightful.

The media industry has often struggled to represent diverse voices, what can the industry do to address this?

Pay writers more.

You’ve worked as a freelance writer for about five years, what articles/pieces of work are you most proud of during that time?

This one about decolonising the curriculum.

Are you available for freelance commissions, speaker opportunities or other roles? If I’m a PR professional with a story or another opportunity for you, how should I get in touch?

Yes, I’m available for freelance commissions and the best way to get in touch is through email on tomowolade@gmail.com

You can find Tomiwa Olowade on Twitter @Tomowolade and can buy ‘This Is Not America’ here.