By Jaye C.O
When I was first asked what it is like raising a Black boy in the United Arab Emirates, my mind immediately went to one word: community.
Before we even moved from London, I wondered what kind of community I could create for my son in a place where he would likely be a minority. That question became the seed that grew into Mums and Gist, a mum community I started here in Dubai that celebrates and champions diversity. 
When I arrived, I realised that while there were many wonderful mum groups, not many reflected the racial diversity I had known growing up in London. I knew then that I had to build what I could not find.
Creating Belonging
As a Black British mum with strong African roots, I am deeply aware that my children might often be the only Black children in their class. While I cannot control classroom demographics, I can control their sense of belonging.
So, I built a community diverse enough that I could meet other mums of colour, and together we could create playdates and friendships where our children could see themselves reflected in each other.
I could not change the diversity of every space, but I could create it in my own world.
Choosing Inclusive Schools
When we first thought about relocating, I wanted to make sure our children went to schools that did not just claim to celebrate diversity but showed it in their staff, culture, and values. As parents, we wanted to feel confident that being Black would never negatively shape their experience.
Thankfully, we found a wonderful school that truly celebrates inclusion. But even so, I have learnt that diversity does not always happen naturally; it has to be nurtured.
Pride in Heritage
My husband and I make it a point to show up and speak proudly about our heritage. I was born in The Gambia and raised in London, two worlds that gave me both African grounding and British exposure.
Growing up in such a multicultural city meant I did not often have to think about race. It was not until entering the corporate world that I began to feel what it meant to be the only one, the only person who looked like me in the room.
That feeling stayed with me, and it is one I do not want my children to experience.
Representation in the Classroom
One of the most impactful things my husband and I did was take part in our children’s school’s Cultural Celebration Week. Parents were invited to share their backgrounds, and we showed up in full African attire, proud and smiling.
We talked about Africa with joy and pride, showing the children that our culture is something to be celebrated, not explained.
I will never forget how my son’s face lit up watching us speak. It was a moment of quiet power, him seeing his parents honoured in his classroom, not as guests but as contributors.
A few days later, when I arrived early to drop him off, one of his classmates mistook me for a teacher. It might sound small, but for me, it was huge.
Because in Dubai, many children only see Black people as domestic staff or nannies. That one day in class might have planted a new seed in that child’s mind: that not every Black woman they meet fits into a single story.
Showing Up and Being Visible
To any parent raising Black or mixed-race children here, I would say this: show up. Attend the events. Speak about your heritage. Be visible.
Every time you do, you are not only empowering your child, you are educating their peers too.
I am intentional about who my children spend time with. Yes, they have friends from all backgrounds, which is one of the beautiful things about Dubai, but I also make sure they have playdates with children who look like them and share their cultural roots.
It is not about exclusion; it is about balance. When children play with others who look like them, they do not have to think about being different. They just get to be.
Awareness, Pride, Representation and Involvement
Children absolutely notice race. My son once said to me, “Mummy, I have the same skin as you.”
That simple sentence reminded me how early awareness begins and how vital it is to make sure that awareness comes with pride, not confusion.
Another way I have learned to show up is through the Parent Teacher Association. Growing up, my parents were not always able to be as present in school life, and I remember how that absence could sometimes give teachers or systems the wrong impression.
This time around, I want my children’s schools to know we are involved. That we care. That we are present. And that we have a voice.
Being part of the PTA is not always convenient; it takes time, energy, and effort, but it is worth it. It is worth being in those rooms, joining conversations, and representing the diversity that might otherwise be missing.
It is worth other parents seeing Black and mixed-race mums taking up space in school life with confidence and contribution.
Our children need to see us there. They need to know that we are invested, visible, and proud.
Creating Safe Spaces
For now, raising my two-year-old son in Dubai has been a positive experience. We have not faced overt racism, and I think part of that is because of his age. But I do not take that for granted.
I am intentional about the rooms I put him in, rooms where he is seen, safe, and nurtured.
While the student body in his school is not racially diverse, the staff is, and that matters deeply to me. Both of my children have teachers or teaching assistants who are Black.
That representation matters more than people realise. It quietly tells them: you belong here. People who look like you teach, lead, and care.
The Bigger Picture
Raising a Black boy in the United Arab Emirates has reminded me that representation does not just happen; sometimes, you have to create it.
I may not be able to change the racial makeup of my son’s school, but I can make sure he grows up surrounded by people who reflect him, love him, and celebrate him.
I can show up at his classroom in my African print.
I can build a community where he never feels like the only one.
For me, that is what Mums and Gist is really about: taking control of the narrative. Ensuring our children never feel isolated or pressured to blend in just to belong. Creating spaces where they can be fully, beautifully themselves.
