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I identify as Nigerian, Scottish & Italian. I am Atheist & heterosexual. My Father is from Nigeria and my Mother is from Scotland (Glasgow), however, her grandparents were Italian immigrants and part of a large Italian diaspora in Scotland that had emigrated over in the late 19th and early 20th century. My Father being academically brilliant, won a scholarship to study at the top boys boarding school in Nigeria and on excelling there, he won another scholarship to study at a university in the UK. Intending to study naval architecture, he chose Glasgow University which of course was one of the centers for this industry. My Mum and Dad met at a student house party in Glasgow. My mother would have been around 18 and my father 22. When I was very young, I spent some time in Glasgow, some in London, however, the vast majority of my growing up was in Cambridge. It’s difficult to confidently say, however I think I became aware I was mixed-race in Cambridge, probably around the age of 6. That’s as far back as I can remember, however, it’s possible I was aware before that, but I just don’t have any recollection. There were synergies between my parents’ cultures in that they both had come from extremely religious families. I guess from my perspective the thing that I could attach to culture was food for the most part. When I think about culture, I can see the beauty of it in that it can be a narrative comprised of a number of elements over a long period of time to create a rich and wonderful tapestry that defines a people and the places they’re from and have grown in and with. I love being who I am, I love being mixed race, I love the races and cultures I’m comprised of, I love this country and having grown up here. So it’s all positive! When I look around, I do often think it’s probably just becoming a very normal part of society, in London at least. It seems like so many people are mixed or they’re in mixed relationships. If I had the opportunity to be reborn I would return exactly as I am, the same mix and upbringing.
I’m a Dutch ‘Chindo’; my roots come from a Chinese family living in Indonesia. The story goes that my Chinese Grandmother Victorine (Vicky) was a bastard’s child; her Chinese Mother had her with an Indonesian man, while she was supposed to marry a Chinese husband. I never knew if this was really true, as in my family tree it still says both her parents were Chinese. She came to Holland right after the 2nd world war and met my Dutch Grandfather. Out of their marriage my Mother was born, she then had me with my Dutch Father. I’m only 25% ‘Chindo’, but always name this when people ask me about my nationality. I grew up in Amsterdam, in a very mixed neighbourhood, and went to a mixed primary school. I think growing up in such a multicultural city it has never disadvantaged me being mixed-raced. I went to a very high-level high school, where also a lot of mixed heritages where the standard. Amsterdam is so mixed that I’ve never took a lot of notice of my dual heritage. I don’t think my parents had to combine their cultures. My Mother was not very typical Chinese or Indonesian, and my Chinese family was very established in the Dutch culture. After the civil war in Indonesia many Indonesians and Indonesian citizens had to make a choice if they wanted to stay there or come to the ‘motherland’ Holland (as Indonesia was a Dutch colony, until the civil war). Most of our family came to Holland and already spoke perfectly Dutch and were not practicing an unknown religion then the Dutch. My Chinese family was already as Dutch as possible, only not in their looks obviously. My Mother had a Dutch Father, who was a very famous resistance fighter in the 2nd World War and started Amsterdam’s newspaper Het Parool. My Mum grew up with Dutch journalists, writers, poets, so was also very connected to Dutch heritage. I have never experienced challenges due to my mixed raced heritage. If I had the opportunity to be reborn I want to return as a bird, a bird can fly, and I would love to be able to fly. Also animals don’t know racism like humans know, and I think that would be a virtue and a blessing.
https://mixedracefaces.com/what-we-do
