English/Scottish | Chilean

Photo credit: provided by subject

I identify as British Latino & spiritual, but not to a specific religion (baptised a Roman Catholic). I am heterosexual. My Father is Chilean, he came over at 5 years of age due to the dictatorship of General Pinochet, My Mother is half Scottish and half English born in Scotland but moved to Birmingham, England at 8 years old due to the lack of work in Scotland at the time for the working class. They both met when both parents moved into the same cul-de-sac in Edgbaston, Birmingham at 10/13 years old. My Mother’s older brother became best friends with my Father and she with my Father’s youngest brother. But it was only until my Mother was 17 and my Father 19 that the relationship between them blossomed. I grew up in Birmingham, England

I knew that I was different when I was little but only really recognized as I was in my mid teens what that meant. Birmingham is a very multicultural place, so I didn’t think too much of it. My Mother spent a lot of time with my Grandmother on my Father’s side and thought it was extremely important for me as a child to understand and embrace the other side of my culture. She would cook Chilean dishes and took it upon herself to learn Spanish so both parents could teach me the language. I think food was where I experienced both sides of the culture, for example I’ve always loved Lorne sausage! 

I think the challenges I faced were more ignorance and misogyny due to a confusion of my skin colour. There is a large Pakistani/ Indian community in Birmingham and sometimes people would assume I was Pakistani / Indian as opposed to South American, because there wasn’t many of us there. Men in particular would think that I might be a more modern female of this race and therefore I faced backlash for the way I looked/dressed when in fact I was just being my British self with a different skin colour. 

To some extent my culture does affect the way I choose partners & friends. I choose friends with common interests and those I can have fun with so my social environments have played a big part, previously I have chosen partners in these circles. However, as I have gotten older I have realized it might be better to cast the net a bit wider. 

I have to say I have been lucky enough not to have had any adversity due to being mixed-race, I would say I have been fortunate that people as an adult have found it to be something of interest, asking questions about the cultures of my heritage, family history etc.

Unfortunately, I do not speak Spanish fluently but conversationally; I feel like having this language would have been an advantage I would have loved to have had as my birthright. It just means I have to work a bit harder for it! I think I mostly connect with the Latin American side of my culture, I love everything about the language, the people, the music, the dancing and the passion. It’s such a beautiful and exciting part of the world. Yet I still feel like a complete combination of the two and I love it.

When asked where I’m from I always immediately ask ‘do you mean where was I born or what’s my heritage?’. Usually it’s the latter, mostly because people take one look at me and can see that I’m not completely English, so usually it's ‘I’m half Chilean but born in Birmingham’.

A positive of my mixed heritage is being able to visit the beautiful country of Chile and seeing another part of the world I wouldn’t have a connection to if I wasn’t mixed-race. I think it’s probably much easier to be mixed-race now than it would have been 10/20 years ago, but there are still struggles. I think I am fortunate that the heritage I belong to hasn’t faced as much adversity historically in the UK so I don’t feel the problem as much as people of my origin may do in places like America. It’s really sad, but on the other side people are much more accepting and want to know more. I personally love it, it makes me unique and different.

If I had the opportunity to be reborn I’d come back the same, I am very proud of my heritage and who I am as a person. I wouldn’t want it to change, however maybe living in a hot country near the beach wouldn’t be so bad!