Join us for an insightful evening with actor and author, Jassa Ahluwalia, as he discusses his debut book 
Both Noth Half
. A radical new approach to mixed heritage identity. Jassa will be in conversation with Isabella Silvers.
About the Book
‘This guy has better Punjabi than both of us and he’s only half Punjabi.’ Only. Half. I stared at those words. The intent behind the comment was in no way malicious, but it hurt. I felt diminished. I felt like I was being robbed of something essential to me. And as I stared at my screen, realisation dawned. ‘#bothnothalf’ I replied.For over twenty-five years, actor Jassa Ahluwalia described himself as ‘half Indian, half English’. His fluent Punjabi always prompted bewilderment, medical staff questioned the legitimacy of his name, and the world of casting taught him he wasn’t ‘the right kind of mixed-race’. Feeling caught between two worlds, it wasn’t long before Jassa embarked on a call to action: we need to change how we think and talk about mixed identity.By delving into the media we grew up consuming and the legacies of empire we have been taught, Ahluwalia asks: is there anything to be learnt from Rudyard Kipling? Why were movie stars urged to hide their mixed identities? To what extent did colonialism encourage or hinder mixed marriages? Is nationalism outdated? How can the politics of class and queer liberation inform our understanding of mixed identity?
Both Not Half
 is a rallying cry for a new and inclusive future. It’s a journey of self-discovery that unearths the historical roots of modern mixed identity as we know it, braving to deconstruct the binaries we have inherited and the narratives we passively accept. Part-memoir, part-manifesto: this is a campaign for belonging in a divided world.
About the Author
Jassa Ahluwalia is a British actor, writer, filmmaker and trade unionist. Born in Coventry to a white English mum and a brown Punjabi dad in 1990, he attended school in Leicester and was raised in an extended family environment. He spoke English in the playground, Punjabi with his grandparents, and spent various summer holidays in India. He came to prominence as Rocky in the hit BBC Three series Some Girls, followed by starring roles in Unforgotten, Ripper Street, and Peaky Blinders.Jassa created the hashtag #BothNotHalf to explore mixed identity in light of his own British-Indian heritage. His TEDx talk on ‘How Language Shapes Identity’ has clocked up over 180k views and his BBC One documentary Am I English? won an Asian Media Award in 2022.
About the Chair
Isabella Silvers is a multi-award-winning freelance journalist and presenter, and the founder of Mixed Messages newsletter, a platform focusing on mixed-race identity. She is a BAFTA member, Graduate Fashion Week global ambassador and her writing focuses on culture, young women’s issues, race and identity.
Reviews
“Few people write about identity with Jassa's fluency and sincerity” – 
Sathnam Sanghera
“Full of warmth, humour, optimism and sometimes painful honesty” – 
William Dalrymple
“Anyone who's ever struggled to make sense of who they are and where they belong should read this book” – 
Nadia Whittome MP
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United Kingdom

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The Grand Hotel Birmingham

Near Birmingham New Street Railway Station|Business District, Birmingham

Cadbury World

Book now for tomorrow

Family-friendly Attractions

Amusement parks

louloulou

i recently returned to cadbury world after many years and i still love to see how the chocolate is made!

National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham

Elbik

We made a dedicated trip and had a lovely few hours. There was lots to see with split levels that kept your interest. The penguins were nice, the octopus made an appearance and we would have loved to see more of the otters., we see the otters.. There is plenty to see, read and touch. My grand daughter loved it all, the turtle in the tunnel is beautiful . It was clean, and we had a great time, would definitely go back, staff were helpful,its really nice and deserve to be visited again and again.

Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery

Museums

Specialty exhibition halls

M43***62

For a smaller town the Art Museum as great. We really enjoyed our visit and would recommend it if you are traveling to Birmingham. Make sure to call ahead to see if they are open.

Victoria Square, Birmingham

放飞自我去游玩

After we dropped off our luggage at the hotel, we had a big meal at a Michelin one-star restaurant, and then we began to get to know the city. First we came to Victoria Square, where a building imitating a Greek temple caught our eye. It turned out to be their town hall. Next to it was a beautiful Baroque building, the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, which was also free to visit. So we went in for a stroll. There were not many people, and the exhibits were quite rich, ranging from ancient Egypt to current art.

Chinese Quarter

BBOmBB

There are Chinese Super League, restaurants, and many other specialty restaurants to choose from.
It&#39;s not hard to find something to eat here.
However, the food at this restaurant was a bit disappointing.

Time:	May 13, 2025 (UTC+1) ENDED
Location:	Waterstones

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