English | Nigerian
Because my Dad was born here, he was used to living with a dual experience of cultures. My Mum loves new cultures, learning the languages, the food and the traditions. She struggled at times to meet eye to eye with my Grandparents when it came to some of the traditions in Nigeria.
Because I have lived in England my whole life, and sound like a Londoner through and through, I love it when people ask me my full name, and they immediately say, that’s a Yoruba name no?! And off the back of that, they share stories of Nigeria, they teach me that my name means ‘someone to cherish’ and my name is something I’ve been learning to cherish growing up. Because of this, I’ve learnt so much from strangers who are looking to connect through history and Nigerian culture.
It’s only as I’ve grown older, I’ve realised that I experienced a lot of racism growing up, especially as a child in school. Some of my first memories of school were that I was bullied for being Brown and the girls would tease me about my nose. Growing up then, it was a challenge to fully embrace my race on both sides, I wanted to be ‘raceless’. But in learning about who I am and who my parents and grandparents are, I have been able to really embrace myself.
In my adult life, it’s mainly microaggressions that I experience now, comments about how when I straighten my hair it looks ‘much more professional’. It’s easy for them to say these things but given that I battled with wanting to relax my natural curls for years, it’s hard to hear once you’ve started to embrace your natural self.
If I was to be born again, I’d have been born with the same parents but at a time where I feel that there is more representation in the media, ensuring that little girls and boys who live here and call London home, don’t feel out of place and like they don’t belong, because that has implications that take years to untangle and mend.
Want to read more? Subscribe here #mixedracefaces