Cymru & I, published by south Wales independent Seren in partnership with Inclusive Journalism Cymru, is a provocative collection of nine essays from the differing perspectives of Welsh identity. These various storytellers – Gosia Buzzanca, Tia-zakura Camilleri, Kelechi Ronald Ikpe, Mo Jannah, Bethany Mcaulay, Laura Mochan, Debowale Omole, Alys Roberts and Anthony Shapland – present the reader with a glimpse of their relationship to their Welshness. Many traditional visions of Welsh national identity do not resonate with every Welsh person today: what may be valuable to the heritage of one individual may bear no meaning to another.

This book breathes life into the notions of Welsh identity, demystifying this elusive concept as its writers speak through their different experiences. Each narrator adds a piece to a larger puzzle, it is an authentically structured capsule of encounters and reflections on community, connection, perseverance, revelation and pride at its core.

A divisive topic in Wales, language is a prevalent feature in many of the essays, posing either exclusionary challenges or personal triumphs for the writers. Interrogatory pieces on the attitudes towards some of the writers’ hometowns are also drawn focus to, leading to revelations or unveiling difficult topics. This book is an inclusive, honest, and eloquent contribution to a wider conversation taking place socially in Wales.