鈥榊ou can鈥檛 be from here because of the colour of your skin鈥� 鈥� what it鈥檚 like to grow up black among a mostly-white population
16 October 2018
What makes you different is what makes you beautiful.
“Where are you from?”
“Edinburgh.”
“No, but where are you really from?”
Reading between the lines, Tomiwa believes the real question was “Why are you black and Scottish? You cannot be from here because of the colour of your skin.”
Her parents came from Nigeria and settled among Edinburgh’s predominantly white population. From a very young age, Tomiwa was aware that she didn’t look like most of her peers.
Growing Up Black In Scotland | Black History Month
Tomiwa shares what it's like growing up black and Scottish.
‘People struggle to find one home; I’ve got two’
“When you grow up as a minority, you’re just so desperate to see anyone or anything that you share something with — you want to belong. You don’t want anyone to question your reasons for being there.”
Looking different to her peers as a teenager meant that Tomiwa found it difficult to be proud of her appearance.
“I have distinct memories of being 15 or 16 and looking in the mirror, hating my lips, hating my nose and being very critical of my face and body.”
She praised the influence of her mother for instilling a sense of pride in her heritage and identity as a Scottish Nigerian.
“What makes you different is what makes you beautiful. My mum would always tell me to ‘walk with confidence in who and what I am’.”
“Nigeria is my history, but I’m so proud of the Scottish part of me. I feel so lucky to have two places that I’m really proud to call home.
“So many people struggle to find one home; I’ve got two.”
Combating societal ignorance of BAME people
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