Hii
I’m 16 years i'm half Belgain, half Ghanaian and racism has broken me. I’m the kind of girl who pretends that every thing is alright, but actually it's not. Now I don't get confronted with racism that much. But my brother, who I adore, (his is 15) still gets confronted with it. And every time he talks about it my heart breaks. One time I was sitting with some friends they noticed there was something wrong. first I said it was noting, but the second time I broke out and cried, I’m the kind of girl who doesn't like to talk about her feelings and always says every things alright.
My sister, who is full Ghanaian, came to Belgium when she was 9. (now she's 25) One day my mother brother and I were talking about racism the things that frustrated use. And she said that one day Belinda ( my sister ) came home and said that some children ,that were older then her, had put her hand under a tap and tried to wash her because she was dirty (black). My mother also said that we were lucky that we are lighter then her self and my sister. I’m am very very proud of my sister. She is my inspiration. She is so brave !!
I remember when I was younger I could play with my classmates and have so much fun, but sometimes I noticed I was darker than them, what made me sad sometimes. My dad once said if I drank lots of milk I’d get lighter (what actually never happened and I’m sooo glad it wasn't true), so I drank as much milk as possible. (Maybe that’s why I’m addicted to milk) but I didn’t get lighter. Haha...
When I first when to high school some boys told my what racism was. Weeks after that day they said things like white power, that i had to shower myself in with spirit or the drew a swastika (don’t know if it’s the right word) on the black board and of course I acted like noting was wrong. But I was so angry. But because I was acting like I didn’t care they stop quite fast. I don’t thing they how much that hurt me. I really hated my color back then. Some 2 years later there was a girl that hated me. Some of my friends said it was because of my color. Until one day she came to me to tell she acted like that because she was jealous of my color after then she used tonnes of foundation that was like 3 or 4 shades darker then her own skin.
From that moment I started thinking and looking at darker models. And more and more people started to say my skin color was beautiful. Of course there are still people who look at me with al look like -what is she doing her, why doesn’t she just go back to her own country- but I guess that’s life.
Now I’m very proud about my color. And I love it very much !! More then ever !!
Left My Cousin Bridget, In The Middle Me (Mieke) and Right My Sister Belinda we all were wearing Yellow
Big Kiss Mieke,