New book

Worthing’s Saba Salman tackles important issues in her new book Double Discrimination: People of Colour with Learning Disabilities Defying Ableism and Racism.

It has been published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers at £14.99 and is available from Amazon, Waterstones, Blackwells, Foyles, Bookshop.org or from the publisher direct at https://geni.us/Double_Discrimination

Saba, who grew up Worthing and went to Vale School, Worthing High School and Worthing College, said: “My sister Raana inspired this book and my first, Made Possible.

“The spark for the book came during Covid when people from Black and Asian backgrounds and people with learning disabilities were most at risk. Having always regarded my sister’s support needs through a disability lens, I began seeing how much greater the risks were as a result of her Asian heritage.

“It was this double whammy of risk that made me want to investigate the issues further and it’s what makes this book a deeply personal one. I also realised that when most people think of disabled people, they don’t think of someone like my sister – a British South Asian woman with a learning disability.

“And when people think of a person of colour, they don’t think of a learning disabled person. Yet these are two of Raana’s characteristics, or identities, so she needs to be seen as a whole person, living at what’s known as the intersection of race and disability.

“For two years during Covid, I focused my reporting on the experiences of learning disabled people of colour, first documenting the gaps in support and greater health risks and then looking at the solutions. While I was developing the book, the world was becoming more polarised – the rise of the far right in the UK and Europe, and the return of Trump to the White House.

“As I finished the book, Reform was taking over town halls around the country and our political system was becoming more fragmented, with populism leading even mainstream left of centre parties to use harsh and ableist rhethoric to woo voters.

“Double Discrimination investigates how people of colour who have a learning disability face both racism and ableism – and how individuals and professionals are dismantling the barriers.

“The book, influenced by my family’s experience with my youngest sister Raana, explores the fact that while issues like unconscious bias and institutional racism are widely recognised, learning disabled people of colour are overlooked in these social justice concepts.

“The first part is about my family’s story and puts the issues in a historical, social and political context. The second part explores the scale of the racism and ableism faced by people like my sister and the third features the solutions – the defiance and optimism at the grassroots, among families, activists, charities and public sector organisations. It’s a call to action, involving a huge number of people pushing back against injustice.

“As with my previous book, it’s a book for people who are interested in life stories, social justice, campaigning and politics. Double Discrimination is also a joyous celebration of what people can do and includes fantastic stories of determination, resilience and success. It’s also a really uplifting, positive and inspirational book, so very much a book for our current times.

“Although the book is essentially an investigation into the racism and ableism people like Raana face, it’s also a portrait of my sister, her achievements, personality and warm character. People with learning disabilities are overlooked at the best of times, and people of colour with learning disabilities are a marginalised group within an already marginalised group.

“I also spoke to a huge number of people with lived experience about what sort of book would help, and their insights shaped Double Discrimination. Thanks to them, the book starts as an introduction to the issues before acting as a provocation and ending with a practical call to action.

“As a journalist specialising in social affairs and the public sector, I know there are so many negative stories about how disadvantaged communities are failed – shining a light on the challenges is important, but what’s equally important is showing the alternative: the solutions.

Anyone interested in their fellow human beings, in current affairs and in social justice issues will enjoy this book.

“As for how I felt researching and writing the book, it was impossible not to be moved by some of the stories and even the data which shows the shocking scale of education, health, housing and employment inequalities faced by learning disabled people of colour.

“Working with the essayists meant collaborating with people whose stories aren’t listened to, and I really enjoyed this process. Everyone involved in Made Possible had an incredible story to tell and just needed a bit of help getting it down. Some of my essayists dictated their life story, others wrote bits of it or sent me clippings or material to include, and then we worked closely together for almost two years to shape the book.

“Double Discrimination is a standalone book, but I would love to revisit the themes in the future – either in another book, or through articles. I want it to make people reconsider how they approach people like my sister and for the book to trigger conversations.

Saba said: “I loved writing as a child and was particularly encouraged by two of my English teachers at Worthing High School. I was also inquisitive, so journalism was an obvious career choice. My first byline was in the Worthing College student magazine! The college didn’t have a magazine so I started one with a couple of friends and went around Worthing town centre encouraging local businesses to advertise so we could cover the printing costs. I think we ran for two issues – a case of quality, not quantity.

“I grew up Worthing and went to Vale School, Worthing High School and Worthing College. I moved to London when I was 21 and now live in Oxted, Surrey.

“My parents live in Worthing; my father, a retired surgeon, was a breast cancer consultant at Worthing Hospital and my mother used to teach adult education classes in Indian cookery.

“My sister Raana inspired this book and my first, Made Possible and now lives in Ringwood, Hampshire, but used to attend Angmering School. She was part of the Adur Special Needs Project when she was younger, a scheme for children aged five to 15 who have special educational needs. Raana loved it so much she did some voluntary work there for a couple of years after she left. Raana has often taken part in the Worthing Carnival where she joins a float with local charity Superstar Arts. The creative arts charity is an absolutely inspirational organisation that reinforces what learning disabled people can do, instead of the more usual focus on what they can’t.

“I write about my family’s experience with SEND in Worthing and during the transition stage – when a young person with SEND moves from child to adult services.”