Nadiem Ahmed.
This is actually a Drake lyric. I think it captures my experiences with race and identity, and it has multiple meanings to me. Growing up Black in Saudi Arabia as the child of Ethiopian immigrants, I’ve always been different. I’ve been aware of that from a young age, and it’s been a constant theme throughout my life. Although I am incredibly grateful for the diversity of cultures I’ve been privileged to experience, it often feels like I can never truly identify with one.
I’ve been told I’m not Canadian.
I’ve been told I’m not Ethiopian.
I’ve been told I’m not Saudi.
So despite often being targeted for not being “enough” of any single culture, I am not exempt from discrimination as a Black Muslim. I’ve had classmates ridicule me and my heritage to my face. I’ve had family members interrogated at the airport. I’ve had strangers yell racial slurs at me on the street. I’ve been stopped by police while going for a run.
While reflecting on the recent events, one recurring thought I’ve had is how racism against Black people is almost universal. It exists in America, Canada, the Middle East, and East Asia. On one hand, it seems like the world doesn’t like Black people. And on the other, it sometimes feels like Black people don’t like me. It’s a cruel irony
Despite this, I am incredibly proud of who I am and where I come from.
