A NEW book chronicling the experience of ethnic minorities in Sussex has been released.

“Hidden Sussex”, which came out on Saturday, is an anthology of stories, poems, and memoirs from minority writers throughout the county.

Sheila Auguste, a writer and therapist who has lived on Brighton for more than 20 years, said she hopes the book will show Sussex has “thriving minority communities”.

She said: “When I moved from Tower Hamlets to Brighton my friends were saying ‘There aren’t any black people in Brighton’.

“But I live in Queen’s Park and I’ve got black neighbours closer to me than any others, more than I did in London.”

Ms Auguste’s “Hidden Sussex” story is about her late St Lucian father, who died when she was 21.

She said: “The story is about we would do if he was still here and saw me in Brighton, about us walking along the promenade and the on the pier.

“Things you wish you could have done. You don’t really pay too much attention to your parents growing up until it’s too late.

“I know that Brighton has all the usual things, like racism, homophobia, all those issues.

“But there aren’t many places in the UK where you can just start talking to someone at the bus stop.

“I still congratulate myself for making the move here. My friends thought I would come back to London every weekend but it’s the opposite.”

Ms Auguste said she hoped readers will realise all Sussex residents have common thoughts, even if their experiences are different.

She said: “I hope that people will see that what black people do and think about in Sussex is what everyone else does and thinks about.

“It’s about universality, we’re all human beings and we all have different experiences.

“For black people we grow up with mainstream culture but many of us have our own backgrounds too.”

Ms Auguste said the lack of minority voices in Sussex has historically been caused by a lack of representation among publishers and editors.

The book is published by Writing Our Legacy, an organisation that amplifies writers and artists from minority backgrounds.

“Hidden Sussex” contains writing from 23 authors across Sussex, as well as a unique map of the county by Brighton artist Josef Cabey.

It will also have a travel guide section of places to go in Sussex, all from a minority perspective.

A launch will take place at St Mark’s Chapel in Eastern Road, Brighton on June 15.