Swedish | Indian/Portuguese...

Photo credit: provided by subject

…/Nigerian/Native American

I am a mix of Swedish, Indian, Portuguese, Nigerian, Native American. I’m a spiritual thinker and cisgender female.

My Dad originates from Sweden and my Mom’s roots are of British West Indies. They met in San Francisco on a work assignment. They were part of the free love movement, both very open minded and practiced Buddhism at the time they met. It was a common factor they both shared.

When I was little I was asked by school mates if I was adopted because I didn’t look like my Mom or Dad, I wasn’t aware of that until it was pointed out to me. I was 6 years old. I hadn’t met other mixed kids like me until I began high school. Now as an adult it’s refreshing to see many mixed people and even interracial couples in commercials, television shows, and on billboards. I didn’t have or see those external examples growing up. As I get older I often think about how my mixed children will be seen if it will change more or remain the same as it is now. Thank goodness for people like Kamala Harris who is Indo-Caribbean. I hope to see more of us breaking down barriers and sitting at the table with a voice.

I’ve never hidden my background; I usually don’t bring it up, especially when it isn’t relevant to the situation. It gets brought up mostly from outsiders and strangers who are curious or uncomfortable with my look.

I’m open to interracial love is love and don’t see boundaries such as color, race or ethnicity. I choose my partner based on my heart not my mind. I’ve dated people from the Netherlands, Germany, Argentina & Japan. Love transcends those boundaries.

The positives of my identity are that I get to talk about and teach others about my ethnic background, and the practices and history of my family. Challenges occur for those who are not open to learning or tolerance of those who do not look like them. I feel sad for them.

I’ve only been to India and that was in 2005. It was a very spiritually awakened experience for me to visit Mumbai. I would love to go back to India, but I would also love to explore Sweden. Maybe once the pandemic is over.

If I had the opportunity to be reborn I would like to return as a bird. To fly wherever I’d like and to see things from above.