Virtual Memories Show 698:
Nick Abadzis and Angela Watson
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“The purpose of memoir, fiction or any kind of history is to inhabit another person’s perspective. It’s like Atticus Finch says, ‘You have to get in someone else’s skin and walk around in it.'”
With their new book MY BELOVED OTHER: A Memoir of Love, Race, and Optimism in a Time of Denial (23rd St. Books), cartoonist Nick Abadzis and psychotherapist Angela Watson use the story of their biracial marriage to explore racism in the UK and US, and what it means to be seen as Other. We talk about how the book went through 10+ years of drafts before Nick asked Angela to collaborate with him, what they learned about each other over the course of making the book, the casual but deep racism in the UK and the challenge of incorporating the Golliwog character in the book, and how Nick’s creative process changed when he integrated Angela’s voice. We get into their fathers’ immigrant experiences (one banished from Alexandria and the other part of the Windrush Generation), how their first date was almost derailed by a riot against Salman Rushdie, in 1989, Nick’s caution in telling their story and Angela’s push to go further, how their daughter felt after reading the book, and what it’s like to be a biracial (Brit) couple in London vs. NYC. We also discuss Nick’s history in comics and his career as a corporate graphic recorder, Angela’s experience in psychotherapy and what it’s taught her about building narratives, what it was like to live in the US in the Obama years and then the next administration, whether they plan to collaborate again, and more. Give it a listen! And go read MY BELOVED OTHER!
“When I meet clients in therapy, it’s about their stories, and building their narrative to understand why they came to me.”
“For black people in Britain, we’d see black newsreaders in America and think, ‘What an amazing place! Black people can be middle class.'”
Enjoy the conversation! Then check out the archives for more great episodes!
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About our Guest
Angela Watson was born and raised in Birmingham, UK, to Jamaican immigrants. With a career dedicated to the nonprofit sector in London and New York City, Angela spent years helping others before transitioning to her current role as a mental health therapist. Her diverse background and passion for mental health inform her writing, which explores themes of identity, culture, and personal growth. My Beloved Other marks Angela’s first collaboration, blending her unique experiences with a desire to connect deeply with readers. Her work invites reflection on mental well-being and the complexities of migration.
Nick Abadzis has been creating books, magazines, newspaper strips, comics, animations, articles, and stories for both adults and children for almost forty years. He has been honored with various British and international storytelling awards, including an Eisner Award for Laika in 2008. He also works as an editorial consultant for publishing and as a corporate graphic recorder.
Follow Nick on Instagram and Bluesky, follow Angela on Instagram, and follow My Beloved Other on Instagram.
Credits: This episode’s music is Fella by Hal Mayforth, used with permission from the artist. The conversation was recorded at an undisclosed location on a pair of Shure Beta 58A microphones and Blue Encore 200 feeding into a Zoom PodTrak P4 digital recorder & interface. I recorded the intro and outro on a Heil PR-40 Dynamic Studio Recording Microphone feeding into a Zoom PodTrak P4. All processing and editing done in Adobe Audition CC. Photo of Nick and Angela by Greenlight Books. Photo of Nick by Steve Cook. Selfie of us by me. It’s on my instagram.