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When our families fled civil war and came to Europe to build a new life, they carried far more than suitcases. They carried hopes, sacrifices, and memories of everything they had left behind. As their children, we inherited those hopes, but also the pressure to prove that we deserved the opportunities they had worked so hard to create. At school, we often found ourselves explaining our cultures, repeating our names slowly and answering questions our classmates were never asked. We were praised for speaking their language so well, often told that we were not like other Blacks, which was meant to be a compliment.
At first, we tried to brush these comments off. Over time, though, they shaped how we saw ourselves. Without really noticing, many of us began to pull away from parts of our Black culture. We stopped bringing our traditional food to school. We avoided speaking our mother tongue in public. And sometimes we laughed at racial stereotypes because challenging them felt too scary. Looking back, we were not rejecting where we came from; we were just trying to avoid being rejected ourselves. A realisation that came after engaging in anti-racism activism, which helped us put words to the pain and hurt of racism and racial trauma that Black people experience in Europe.
We began to recognise racism not only in the common stereotypes, or racial prejudices, and microaggressions, but also in the expectations we had placed on ourselves: to be quieter, better behaved, more grateful and less visible. Engaging in anti-racism activism reintroduced us to our Black community where we are learning to celebrate our Blackness and cultural heritage; the things we once tried to hide. We share our life stories about Black life and experience in Europe. We support one another and encourage Black children and refugee children to take pride in who they are. Our heritage was never something to overcome. It is something to carry with dignity, love and pride. |
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Published on 24.07.2026 at 13:05 
