Derek Owusu

Derek Owusu is a British writer and podcaster.

Quotes

• You don’t get many men talking about personality disorders or schizophrenia. The mental health issues that people find scary aren’t talked about – that’s where the conversation needs to go.
  • On men and mental health discussions in “Derek Owusu: ‘Mental health issues that people find scary aren’t being talked about’” in The Guardian (2019 Nov 2)

• Anansi is the god of stories - I’m telling Anansi my story. I remember my aunt telling me some Anansi stories when I was 9 or 10, but I didn’t take them in. In my 20s, I bought loads of Anansi books. History, folklore, and culture gives you pride and happiness through a sense of connection.
  • On giving his book That Reminds Me folkloric elements in “Derek Owusu: ‘Mental health issues that people find scary aren’t being talked about’” in The Guardian (2019 Nov 2)

• Black men are often seen in two-dimensional ways as historical racist ideas have been passed on, and the media doesn’t help – reinforcing these ridiculous stereotypes. We often conflate black British men with African men, and it was important to get nuances on paper.
  • On Black masculinity in “Derek Owusu: ‘Mental health issues that people find scary aren’t being talked about’” in The Guardian (2019 Nov 2)

• Most literary agents are middle class white men who won’t understand what you’ve written unless it’s a slave narrative or someone 'from the streets'. They have a moment where they’re like, 'Well, where do I fit in?'…
  • On the lack of diversity in UK’s publishing world in “'SAFE' Depicts Black British Masculinity in All Its Glory” in Vice (2019 Mar 1)