Mixed Up

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Author(s)

Leon Diop

Publisher

Little Island Books

Genre(s)

Age Range

12+

Release Date

May 12, 2026

ISBN

978-1915071880

Buy This Book

A groundbreaking memoir about growing up mixed-race in Ireland, by the recent European Leader of the Obama Foundation: Irish Book Award-winning author and media personality Leon Diop.

Mixed-race experience has never been described so honestly. Diop, a charismatic public figure and strong positive male role-model for young people, tells his story from his first day as the only mixed race boy in school to his powerful recent experience reconnecting with his African roots in Senegal.

Growing up, Diop struggled with his identity, got into trouble, and lost his way, before turning his life around and finding his mission: helping Black and mixed-race people tell their own stories. He founded Black & Irish and developed it into an advocacy group, a podcast with RTÉ, and an award-winning book.

Editor review

1 review

Vulnerable & Inspiring

May 27, 2026 (Updated: June 04, 2026)

Overall rating

4.5

Writing Style

4.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

N/A

Learning Value

5.0

From the minute I read the back-cover blurb for Mixed Up by Leon Diop, I was intrigued. What is it like to be a mixed-race person growing up in predominantly white Ireland?

Diop writes with a vulnerability that immediately connects readers to his story. As he opens up about his longing to fit in, his teenage anger issues, and the struggles in his relationship with his dad, his experiences feel deeply relatable regardless of your own background. His memoir captures an authentic, flawed journey showing how life’s challenges shaped him into the person he is today.

He writes unfiltered about his experience of being mixed-race, including his raw feelings while processing global movements like Black Lives Matter. While some of the topics are heavy, the narrative never feels bogged down. Diop balances it with sweet moments like reuniting with his father's side of the family. I especially loved the conclusion, where Diop writes letters to his younger self and reflects on the lessons he has learned. It was the perfect way to close this powerful book.

I highly recommend this book to readers who appreciate a powerful memoir about overcoming adversity and finding their purpose.