Reni Eddo-Lodge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Reni Eddo-Lodge FRSL
Eddo-Lodge in 2014
Born	(1989-09-25) 25 September 1989 (age 35) London, England
Occupation	Columnist author
Alma mater	University of Central Lancashire
Subject	Feminism Structural racism
Notable works	Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race (2017)
Notable awards	Jhalak Prize; Bread and Roses Award for Radical Publishing

Reni Eddo-Lodge (born on September 25, 1989) is a British journalist and author. She is well-known for her writing about feminism and structural racism. Structural racism means how unfair rules and systems in society can make things harder for people because of their race. Reni has written for many famous newspapers and magazines.

In June 2020, her book Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race, first published in 2017, became the number one non-fiction paperback in the UK. This happened during the George Floyd protests. It was a big moment because it was the first time books by Black British women topped both the fiction and non-fiction charts at the same time. On June 16, 2020, Reni Eddo-Lodge became the first Black British woman to have the overall number one book in the UK.

Early Life and Education

Reni Eddo-Lodge was born in London, England, to a Nigerian mother. She grew up in London and went to St Anne's Catholic High School.

She later studied English literature at the University of Central Lancashire. She finished her studies in 2011. While at university, Reni became very involved in feminist activism. Feminism is about believing that all genders should have equal rights and opportunities. She also took part in student protests in 2010. Reni was the president of her university's student union until 2012. She was also an elected member of the National Union of Students' council.

Reni Eddo-Lodge's Career

As a freelance journalist, Reni Eddo-Lodge has written for many different publications. These include The New York Times, The Guardian, and The Independent.

In 2013, Reni appeared on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour. She talked about important topics in feminism. In April 2014, she was a judge for the BBC Woman's Hour Power List. This list celebrates influential women.

Reni Eddo-Lodge's first book, Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race, came out in 2017. It quickly won many awards. By the time she was 30, she had sold over a million copies of her book. This made her the first Black writer to reach the top of the British book charts.

In 2018, Reni started a podcast called About Race with Reni Eddo-Lodge. She created it with producer Renay Richardson. The podcast was very popular and was named one of the best podcasts of 2018 by several magazines. It explored Britain's modern relationship with race, adding to the ideas in her book.

In January 2018, Reni Eddo-Lodge was one of seven British women chosen to be photographed for British Vogue. This was to celebrate 100 years since British women gained the right to vote. She was also listed in the Top 100 most influential people of African/African-Caribbean descent in the UK in 2020 and 2021.

Her essay "Women, Down your Tools" was part of the 2019 book New Daughters of Africa. This book was put together by Margaret Busby.

In July 2020, Reni worked with actress Emma Watson and the WOW Foundation. They started a project to redesign the London Underground Map. They planned to rename the 270 train stops after women and non-binary people who have made a difference in London's history. This special map was published in March 2022.

In December 2024, it was announced that Reni Eddo-Lodge would start her own publishing company called Monument Books. She is working with HarperCollins. Her goal is to help new authors who share important ideas and stories.

About Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race

Reni Eddo-Lodge's first book, Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race, was released in June 2017. It was published by Bloomsbury Publishing. Many early reviews were positive. For example, the famous writer Marlon James called it "essential." The book won the Jhalak Prize and a British Book Award in 2018.

Book's Impact During Black Lives Matter

In June 2020, Reni Eddo-Lodge's book became incredibly popular. Its sales jumped a lot after the murder of George Floyd and the worldwide Black Lives Matter protests. This meant she became the first Black British woman to reach number one on the non-fiction book charts. At the same time, another Black British woman, Bernardine Evaristo, topped the fiction chart. Reni said she was sad about the difficult reasons why her book became so popular. On June 16, 2020, she became the first Black British woman to be the overall number one author in the British book charts.

Awards and Recognition

Reni Eddo-Lodge has received many awards and honors for her work.

See also

In Spanish: Reni Eddo-Lodge para niños