After proudly calling Sheffield home for over six years, Brazilian journalist Livia Barreira has published a book showcasing the stories of eight female migrants from across the world who’ve also made the journey to the Steel City. Last month, Lucy Jeffs caught up with the author of Living in Sheffield: Our Journeys as Migrant Women to hear about the influences behind the project and gain a small insight into Livia’s personal journey.
What first attracted you to Sheffield?
I was travelling and I met a guy who is my husband now. He is from Sheffield but was in Prague at the time, and we had a long-distance relationship for four years. There’s a love story behind everything but I am also creating my own path here. Also, it’s in the middle of the UK and has good transport connections to the rest of the country, but the best thing about Sheffield for me – genuinely – is the welcoming people and the strong community spirit we can find here. I’ve always felt very welcome in the city.
How did the idea for the book first develop?
I have been making this brand called Living in Sheffield, using my Instagram to welcome people and encourage them to explore the city. I love to put people from different backgrounds together, it’s my passion in life. The Instagram was growing, and I discovered that a lot of my followers are women from other countries who would then go out to see the places. It was nice getting this feedback and then I thought about how we should put a few together in a book featuring stories from multi-ethnic voices.
“I love to put people from different backgrounds together, it’s my passion in life.”
How did the process develop from there?
Before I started to write the book, I started saving messages from 2018, all from people I had met in different stages of my life in Sheffield. I had the idea, but I wasn’t ready or maybe not finding the time as well. When lockdown happened, I started to think now is the right time, so I went to the notes and started to prepare questions for a basic questionnaire. With just nine questions about personal and professional connection with Sheffield. Then, from the questionnaires that came back to me I was making notes and thinking about interview questions to go deeper.
What were the key aims behind the project?
My aim in the book is to promote diversity and make a positive impact here in Sheffield and the UK. The people featured are from eight different countries and at the end of each chapter the readers can find out about the connections between each of the women and myself. Also, the last page of the book is literally a space for all the migrant women to reflect and think about their lives in this new country and make notes about their own achievements. Compare yourself with you five years ago, ten years ago, against now and see how much you have improved. Another idea is also to present the foreigner perspective in Sheffield, their memories and places they like to go in the city.
Find out about how you can get a copy by following @livinginsheffield on Instagram
