Hide and Sikh: Letters from a Life in Brown Skin by Sunny Dhillon

Reviewed by Anne Smith-Nochasak

As a society, we like to believe that we have made progress, and in some ways, we have. Sunny Dhillon’s Hide and Sikh: Letters from a Life in Brown Skin draws attention to the fact that our progress is by no means complete, that although we apply the correct rhetoric publicly and make the proper claims regarding cultural diversity and inclusion, systemic racism is still deeply embedded in our world. In the quiet encounters of day-to-day life—perhaps at the neighbourhood playground, in the local grocery store, along a biking trail, or in one’s workplace—resentment, rejection, exclusion, and other forms of marginalization are active. We see them, we hope we are mistaken, we assure ourselves that what we just saw is atypical. Sunny Dhillon, however, lives in this environment, and in this candid reflection, cast in the form of a series of letters to his young daughter, he shares his reality with us.

The author’s parents were born in Punjab and came to Canada in the 1970s. Although he was born in Canada, Sunny felt acutely his “otherness” from the time he was in school, and he sees that his daughter Jaya, a second generation Canadian, is already experiencing the stigmatization of being Brown in a White milieu. When little Jaya goes to the playground with her mother, who is White, there are conversations and offers of play dates. When she attends with her father, they are ignored or recipients of complaints about people of colour taking the place of White Canadians. As a child, his own socialization outside the family setting was limited to school attendance, and he feels he was not prepared to cope with the world around him. He wants, more than anything, for his daughter to be aware of what is in store for her as a person of colour and especially to be prepared. He wants her to go forward in this world with confidence, and with pride in who she is.

The letter format is highly effective, enabling the writer to lay bare the subtleties of racism hidden or denied in society, with gentleness and occasional touches of humour softening the impact for a child. At the same time, this very tenderness underscores the fact that such experiences are affecting even children. A deep love of family permeates these letters, unifying them into one consistent reflection.

The various arenas in which racism has been and will be encountered are explored. Whether outdoors, indoors, in school, or at work, a person of colour experiences remarks, exclusions, even counter-productive directions (such as receiving a lecture on the correct use of the bike lane by someone “from here,” who then continues their own run in the wrong lane.) One pivotal example involves the research and preparation the author completed as a journalist with The Globe and Mail, focusing on interviews with persons of colour on their experiences as candidates in an election. The project was abruptly cancelled. Their voices would not be heard, his concerns were ignored, and there was no room for debate. This was a turning point for the author, who, with the support of his spouse, resigned his position and published his response in a well-reasoned blog. He has not been able to secure a position in the field of journalism since.

Mr. Dhillon also reflects on his self-perception as a person of colour—In describing experiences such as choosing a traditional setting for their wedding, in visiting India for the first time, he explores and articulates his own self-image, his understanding of what it means to him, personally, to be Brown. And this is not simply about his life, for in his analysis he draws out specific examples from history, past and present.

This book serves as confirmation for those who have suspected all along that racism is fully present in our contemporary world, and an eye-opener for those who live in denial. Some, alas, will read it as a litany of complaints and insist that the author is mistaken in his interpretations of words and actions. However, when a stranger lifts a middle finger and yells an expletive at one, there is really only one interpretation.

It is a well-crafted study, each anecdote and reflection presented with honesty and respect. There is such determination as he reminds his daughter that people can only make her feel lesser if she lets them, as he declares in conclusion that they will no longer hide. Written with sensitivity, humour, and an open mind, may it serve as a call to action.

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About the Author

Sunny Dhillon is a former news reporter whose viral essay “Journalism While Brown and When to Walk Away” highlighted the significant challenges that journalists of colour can face. Sunny worked as a print reporter for ten years. He has also appeared on television and radio and has spoken at conferences. He is passionate about racial justice and continues to write on that theme. He holds a master’s degree in journalism from the University of British Columbia. He and his young family now live in Ontario, where Sunny attends law school. This is his first book.

About the Reviewer

Anne M. Smith-Nochasak grew up in rural western Nova Scotia, where she currently resides and teaches part-time after many years working in northern communities. She has self-published four novels using Friesen Press’s services: A Canoer of Shorelines (2021), The Ice Widow (2022), and two instalments in the Taggak Journey trilogy: River Faces North (2024) and River Becomes Shadow (2025). She is currently a member of the Writer’s Federation of Nova Scotia and likes to feature Nova Scotia settings in her writing. When she isn’t writing or teaching, Anne can be found reading, kayaking, gardening, renovating, or exploring the woods with her golden dog Shay while her cat Kit Marlowe supervises the house. Anne can be reached through her website https://www.acanoerofshorelines.com/ or on X, IG, and FB.

Book Details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Wolsak & Wynn

• Publication date ‏ : ‎ Nov. 4 2025

• Language ‏ : ‎ English

• Print length ‏ : ‎ 150 pages

• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1998408329

• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1998408320