German/Irish | Colombian
I identify as mixed heritage. My mum was born in Colombia and my dad was born to a German father, who was a prisoner of the war and an Irish mother. I’m aware I am physically seen as White. Growing up with friends and colleagues who were raised in White/ British households I always felt different to them, even though I looked like them. When I started school I’d always get kids in my class asking why my mum spoke ‘funny’ and pronounced words differently, but I’d never notice it because that’s what I was brought up with, but I think around then was when I noticed I was different, but it wasn’t until I was older that I’d label it as ‘mixed’. I haven’t personally faced any prejudice as people have always seen me as White/ English, although I have seen difficulties my parents have faced. My surname is German, and I remember growing up my dad used to change his name on application forms to traditional English surnames as he knew he would be discriminated against with a ‘foreign’ surname. I also remember my mum going for a job in a local bakery and not getting the job because she was ‘foreign’. So I grew up being aware of discrimination. As I get older, the more I appreciate my mixed heritage and the way I’ve been brought up in different cultures and I see myself as very lucky to have experienced this and don’t see it as a challenge. I also almost appreciate my mixed heritage more when I witness narrow mindness in any form. I believe being mixed-race has made me more open minded towards different cultures, whatever they be. I found it’s also made me more aware of ‘casual’ racism, when people don’t see anything wrong with what they’re saying towards a race/ nationality and most of the time I think this is just down to them not being informed enough. I think if you’re born into or near a different race/ nationality it makes you more aware of prejudice whether it be your race/ nationality or another. If I had the opportunity to be reborn I would return as I am, but I would make more of an effort to explore my parent’s culture from a younger age.
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