English | Guyanese
My Mum is calm as water, measured and completely unselfish. The most non-confrontational person I know, my Mum lives her life purely for others. A much more gentler approach, Mum was always ready to listen and reflect. As opposed to blowing down a door with full force, no matter how long it took, my Mum would open that door the right way. With no mess. My creativity and thirst for storytelling comes from her. My parents met in a hospital, both as nurses. My Dad, a serious man who made sure we respected him. He was a tough love man, and so lessons were FELT if not heard. Assuring and owning your identity, who you are, and not allowing the world to shake that, my Dad has made sure we have in us.
In my industry, it feels like being mixed is a certain look? Which can affect the movement of your career. This is hard, because essentially the industry reflects society, and if you and no other people that look like you are being represented then it can feel like you're being put in the 'unusable pile'. All that aside, I would never change my existence for nothing. No one can talk for me better than I can. I love my life and how I am and how I look and the man I'm becoming. I have been happy with who I am for a long time. Outside of identity, I have memories, relationships and experiences I'll never forget. Above anything else I achieve, nothing can top that. How can you own yourself fully if you only claim half of it? Sometimes people aren't satisfied with that, like you have to be one or the other. Which can nullify people taking your struggles seriously.
History is my role model. Learning from the past opens the doors to a different future. I also find great teachings in the ease and innocence of children. People need to ask themselves in their own communities what they really want out of equality. Despite my feelings to the truth, being one side has more to answer for and more work to do than the other, as someone who hears what is said on both sides behind closed doors, both have work to do.
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