Parsons now has biracial children of her own, and she believes that greater representation of mixed race families, marriages and children is the next frontier in popular culture. “Watching my kids struggle, feeling not black enough or feeling like they have to choose,” Parsons explains, is something that more biracial representation would help. “I think the more awareness we have the more we’re going to start to appreciate and understand and recognise each other.”

In recent years, Parsons has noticed enormous inroads when it comes to representation in Hollywood. She remembers breaking for three months from filming The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and trying to squeeze in another movie or television role.

“There were hardly any roles and ever brown girl around my age was clamouring for the same role, that one role, if there even was one role,” Parsons recalls. “Usually Halle Berry got it.”

But, thanks in large part to Black Panther, the film industry has finally begun changing for the better. Now it’s time to shift that focus to publishing, Parsons says. When it comes to representation she doesn’t “think they’re there yet, but I think they’re going to get there.” There are far too lauded writers of colour, particularly for younger audiences, not to mention critics of colour and diverse lineups at writer’s festivals.

The one area of pop culture that desperately needs more representation