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About Me Stories

A publication dedicated to bringing out the stories behind the writers themselves. A place of autobiographies. Types of personal stories include introductions, memoirs, self-reflections, and self-love.

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About Me — Clare Xanthos

5 min readFeb 16, 2022

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Photo of author — May 2025 (updated on 05/30/25).

I have never been one to fit into society’s boxes. Those who have met me or viewed my videos may have been puzzled by the combination of white British accent, Greek surname and West African features. Let me explain: I was born to a white mother (English and Greek) and Black father (Nigerian). They married in Ibadan, Nigeria at the University of Ibadan’s Chapel of the Resurrection in June 1969, remaining together until their divorce 26 years later. Shortly after their divorce, I made the decision to change my surname to Xanthos, my mother’s maiden name, because of the intense discrimination I was facing in the UK due to my Nigerian surname.

Author’s Parents — photo provided by author
Author’s Christening — photo provided by author

Early Years

While I was born in the UK in a small city called Stoke-on-Trent, I grew up in three countries: the USA (ages 1–5); Nigeria (ages 5–11); and UK (11–18). I feel fortunate to have lived in…

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About Me Stories
About Me Stories

Published in About Me Stories

A publication dedicated to bringing out the stories behind the writers themselves. A place of autobiographies. Types of personal stories include introductions, memoirs, self-reflections, and self-love.

Clare Xanthos, PhD
Clare Xanthos, PhD

Written by Clare Xanthos, PhD

RESEARCHER. AUTHOR. WRITER. Interests: racial equity, social justice, cultural identity. Co-Editor: "Social Determinants of Health among African-American Men."

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