Who am I?

Identity is a concept I've been thinking a lot about recently.  I recently attended an event at my university's ACS (Afro-Caribbean society) where the topic of identity was brought up. One of the speakers as part of a 'provocation' stated that none of us (the audience) were British because our skin was not white.

Whilst this was a comment made purely to start a conversation, it definitely struck a chord with me. Personally I identify as being British first because this is where I was born and where everything I have ever known is. However, I also strongly identify as being black and I don't believe that the two are mutually exclusive.

I definitely think that identity is unique to individuals and that it is not up to anyone else to tell you who or what you are. A few weeks ago somebody told me that I wasn't 'black', instead he'd decided that I simply had brown skin as if I'd just been sat out in the sun for too long. It momentarily offended me that I obviously wasn't coming across as black enough, until I realised that the opinion of such an ignorant person was not relevant to me.

I know that I relate to parts of both British and black culture in a way that suits me. Though I am reminded that not everyone thinks the same way as me when I feel people staring at me, luckily this is not something I have experienced a lot of as I have lived in the very multicultural cities of Leicester and London.

I know that I am proud of my heritage and I love hearing my Grandma's stories about her childhood in Nevis before she boarded a ship to England aged 19, the same age as I am now. I know the sacrifices and hardships that both sets of my Grandparents went through to be accepted by the people of this country and I am forever grateful to them.