i grew up in an international household. because of this and because i ended up getting a large scar on my forehead due to a car wreck, i got bullied all the time in school. i often felt like i didn’t belong anywhere and that no one liked me.
there were several periods of my life where i had no idea who i was because i was constantly being told i didn’t belong there. no matter how hard i tried, i was always told i wasnt black enough to hangout with the black kids and i was too black to hangout with the white kids. this lead to me being very lonely and i completely shut down year after year in school.
SIS made me feel like i belonged because i was around other people from different countries. i felt very much alone as a kid. I eventually stopped talking to people due to the bullying i was constantly receiving.
i internalized being told i dont belong in a black space. my response to it is to very seldom interact with the black community. it isnt the best response, but i always worry someone from the community will tell me i dont belong, so i keep my distance to defend zieself. instead, i interact more with multicultural groups.
being at SIS has helped me to acknowledge several issues ive had growing up. it has made me want to embrace who i am. there is a difference between an african american and being a child of someone born in a country in africa.
back in 2021, i decided to no longer reject my nigerian heritage. i proudly embrace it now. it felt great to be apart of people who accept me as i am and who dont stigmatize me because of the things i like or how i look.
it felt like i found my people because people dont really understand what immigrants face when they enter the US. my lived experience is very different from someone with two parents born and raised in the US because one of my parents is an immigrant.
there is nothing wrong with me. i belong in this world. i am allowed to take up space.
