Who am I? People say I am a genuine, honest and positive person, I’m a singer, songwriter, published poet and I’ve got a YouTube channel. I love baking cakes am a good dancer and have registered as a Zumba instructor. I volunteer at my Gran’s care home, and the Alzheimer’s society.
I am good at self-care, can reflect and I try to make people feel good about themselves. So that is who I am.
But my life hasn’t always been so positive. I struggled alone for a long time and so I want to be honest now and share my story for other people in similar situations.
I always knew I was different from a young age. I have albinism so I look white, yet my parents both come from the Caribbean.
My type of albinism means I lack pigmentation, melanin. My skin and eyes are light sensitive. I always have to wear glasses and a hat. I am registered as severely sight impaired.
My parents didn’t know much about Albinism, I used to say to my parents, ‘I’m white but you’re black why am I like this?’ Mum would say, ‘no you are black.’ It was a lot for my Mum to cope with, people pointing and staring at me. Mum didn’t like to take me out without one of my aunts because of all the abuse.
I was bullied a lot by kids at school and my whole life has been quite turbulent.
My Dad did not want to be with me. Not only was I ‘too white’, but I was also disabled.
My Mum loved me and did the best she could, but she was facing her own challenges.
I just wanted a positive role-model to say to me, ‘you are great as you are’. But I learnt very early about rejection. It’s hard enough being rejected by society, but when your own father rejects you… that really hurts.
I had mobility training at school with a white cane to help with independence but my Dad said I couldn’t use the cane, as he couldn’t accept that I had a disability. This denial meant that I couldn’t ask for help, be angry or upset and express my feelings, so I became insular and alone.
At home I witnessed domestic abuse and by the time I was 8 years old, I became depressed.
I didn’t go to college, I tried, but was bullied and due to the many challenges, that I was facing, I was self-harming. Finally, I was diagnosed with PTSD in 2012 and OCD in 2004 and have recently been referred for an autism diagnosis. I have experienced regular bouts of mental ill health and have been hospitalised.
But that’s not all! As a small child, I knew I wasn’t like other boys I liked playing with dolls; yet another way that I was different. I used to dress up in Mum’s clothes in secret because my Dad would never have approved.
As I grew up, I became suicidal, I was so ashamed, it was only after a break-down that I finally started to get the help I needed.
My Dad will not like this article, but after years of therapy, I have to be honest.
I came out in 2016 and decided I wanted to live as a woman even though some family members disapproved and would not accept me. Being LGBTQIA+ is still a taboo amongst many of the older generation within the Black community. My Dad said ‘Don’t bring shame upon our family’ I respect my family, but I refuse to be ashamed anymore and change who I am.
So who am I? I have many different identities, but most importantly, I am a person just like you. We all have challenges some more so than others and you don’t know what someone else is going through, so be compassionate. I would love to create a world where we can all just be ourselves.
So, what do I want? Please don’t make assumptions, I may look different to you, but get to know ME and others like me, before you judge. Some of my family still don’t accept me, but I don’t want your pity, I just want to be treated with dignity and respect. It’s taken a long time, but I have finally been able to embrace who I am.
Now my dream is to help anyone who is struggling to ‘fit in’ to get help, You’re not alone, don’t suffer in silence you need to learn to love and embrace who you truly are and when you do that, you will not be so affected by what other people think. If I can offer even one person hope that they can overcome their challenges like me, then I know I’ve made a difference and paid it forward.
Frankie is part of ‘Empowering Disability In Enfield’, EDIE, a LocalMotion Enfield Lived Experience Working Group.
This article was first published in the print edition of the Enfield Dispatch in June 2026
Photo of Frankie by Kai Campbell of KaiImages