Finnish | Nigerian
I identify as mixed-race & a Christian. My Mum is from Finland and my Dad from Nigeria. They met in a night club in Germany. They were both studying over there. My Dad was on a date with another girl and then when he saw my Mum he faked getting ill, brought his date home and came back to talk to my mum.
I was around 5 years old when I recognised I was mixed-race. The first 4 years of my life was spent in in Nigeria, I think that was important. Growing up in Finland was tough and I never felt like I fit in. Growing up in Finland was a constant reminder of been different. I just remember always being on high ‘alert’, I encountered a lot of racism as I child. Based on this I have a low tolerance to any form of abuse. I’m not sure that my parents really combined their culture, but they loved each other.
Being mixed raced has helped me as a performer because it has made the variety of roles I can be casted on quite broad in a way. It has given me a very specific and rich identity from what to draw from. I find understanding and actually having lived two very different cultures gives you an upper hand, even when negotiating things and working in different countries. People relate to what is similar and though you are often in the surface so un similar to many people. What is rooted more deeply in you is a fundamental knowing of so much. Actually, making you the most ‘relatable’ person in the room.
If I had the opportunity to be reborn I would want to come back as me, but it would be fun to know what I know now.