Basque | Ghanaian/Ivorian/French/Guadeloupean/Indian
I identify as mixed-race, atheist and straight. Both my parents were born in France, but my Mother is of French heritage (Basque country to be specific as they don’t always consider themselves French) and my Father comes from a family that has been mixing for generations. His Father was Ghanaian/Ivorian and his Mother mixed French, Guadeloupean and Indian. Ironically my Mother spent some of her youth growing up in Africa in Cameroon and DRC while my father has only been to Africa once for holidays with work in Morocco, a few years ago. I realised I was mixed-race probably in kindergarten. Other children, pretty much until high school, always made fun of my hair which led me to question why I didn’t look like anybody else a lot. I often joke that my Mother is the more African of them two in the relationship. Growing up there, she always liked the culture whilst I think my Dad, except for music and education, rather rejected it a lot (he’s still never been to the Ivory Coast where my grandparents spend 6 months every year). Being mixed-race has made me quite militant and unlike some I can’t let a racist/homophobic/sexist comment pass, so it sometimes alienates certain people but from my point of view, it’s not people I would want to associate with anyway. But again, I’m White passing and have worked in somewhat racist environments before, I suspect if my name didn’t sound so French (my parents chose it purposefully as they were scared a more African-sounding name might make work life more difficult for me down the road) and my skin was a bit darker, things could have been more difficult. I think being mixed-race has become a lot more accepted (I think we’re the future, whether people like it or not), now more regarded as actually a positive thing, attractive and desirable thing which has shifted from when I was younger. If I had the opportunity to be reborn I would be exactly the same. I am proud of being mixed and it made me who I am, I also learned to be thick skinned and that being different was something to embrace and not be ashamed of.
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