Portuguese | Mauritian
I identify as a member of the LGBTQ+ community who is mixed-race. My Father is Mauritian, my Mother is Portuguese. Originally born in Mozambique, she grew up in Swaziland until 18, returning to Portugal briefly before immigrating to London. My parents met in the UK at the age of 20 after having both immigrated to London a couple years prior on their own.
Having left London at 13 and moving to the North of England, I would say that I faced challenges due to colour of skin, as opposed to being of mixed identity. For any child moving out of London into a rural area it’s such a culture of shock, leaving a multicultural city to a village of none other than one. The most unpleasant experiences are ones that were very eye opening. I look back on my childhood from ages 13 – 17 and wouldn’t change the experiences I have had, as they’ve shaped the thick skin I have today and perseverance to be an advocate of racial equality through my studies and work.
My outlook on my mixed-race ethnicity has differed greatly from when I was a child compared to now, as an adult. As a child I held onto a lot of confusion and had a great sense of lost identity in that I didn’t belong to just 1 country or nation. A pivotal moment for me was moving to University and having the opportunity to explore different cultures and fall back in love with my heritage, no longer feeling the need to assimilate. As I grow older, I feel that I am only falling more in love with Mauritian and Portuguese culture and hope that this only continues.
From personal experience, I would urge you to take every opportunity you can to immerse yourself in other cultures whilst you have the chance. Given the current political climate in the UK; with the ongoing Brexit divide, LGBTQ+ and race related hate crimes on the rise and much more. Now more than ever populations need to gain a greater understanding of one another to live less divisive lives, to be more tolerant and less entitled; give up the hate that is being held so tightly at this time.
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