Leon and his publisher Matthew Parkinson-Bennett
‘Mixed Up’ focuses on Leon’s identity
“‘MIXED Up’ is a memoir that follows my life as a young mixed-race man growing up in Tallaght in the late 90s and early 2000s,” remarks Leon Diop.
Born to a White Irish mother and Senegalese father, Leon grew up in a mixed ethnic and religious household.
He is the founder of the Black & Irish advocacy group, host of the Black & Irish podcast, activist, educator, public speaker, and an Obama Foundation European Leader from 2024 to 2025.
His first book, ‘Black & Irish: Legends, Trailblazers and Everyday Heroes’, won Teen and YA Book of the Year at the An Post Irish Book Awards in 2023 and was shortlisted for the Children’s Non-Fiction Book of the Year at the British Book Awards in 2024.
His latest memoir, ‘Mixed Up’, focuses on his identity, the racism and discrimination he has faced, and his struggles with mental health.
Leon shares that the inspiration for the book came from the current “racist and hateful rhetoric”, which he believes would have impacted his self-perception if he had access to it at 15.
The memoir aims to help young people, especially those with mixed-race or migrant backgrounds, to feel comfortable in their identities and build resilience against challenges.
Initial planning consisted of Leon identifying key moments in his life to include in the memoir, and he emphasises the importance of setting deadlines for himself to stay on track with the writing process.
The cover of his book
The book was edited by Catherine Gough, who helped make the story “digestible” for young people.
Leon shares that travelling to Senegal for the first time was his “favourite part” and personal highlight of working on the book, as it helped him connect with his African heritage and family.
Some of the biggest challenges of production included revisiting “difficult moments” in his life, and the process involved healing through shared experiences with family, which was both challenging and rewarding.
Future projects for Leon include a book for ‘Black & Irish’ called ‘Black and Irish Awesome Icons’, which will be released in April 2026, and he is excited to tackle challenges that affect young people.
For help with making this memoir possible, Leon would like to thank Little Island Books, his editor Catherine Gough, his publisher Matthew Parkinson-Bennett, his publicist Peter O’Connell, and his sales rep Connor Hackett.
He would also like to extend his gratitude to his family and the wider village that raised him, including his siblings, his aunt Lisa, his stepfather Mark, and his mother Rachel, for their continued support and guidance.
‘Mixed Up’ was launched in Eason’s in the Square by Kaitriona O’Sullivan on November 13 and is available on shelves now.
TAGS Life
