The nuances surrounding race and life in Berlin are individually relatable in many ways. People of Colour bond by swapping stories, anecdotes and experiences. In talking feelings of home and microaggressions, these very distantly related diaspora members with widely varying ethnic makeups allows us to see their world through their perspectives.
In seeing their contrasting thoughts side by side we can just begin to fathom the numerous instances and feelings a person of colour can encounter in Berlin. Do micro aggressions play a big part in your day to day life here in Berlin? If you mean the moments of subtle racism one experiences as a person of colour in a majority white space, then it plays a big role. A lot of times we get used to it, because we have to. If you let all these small moments affect you on a daily basis, you would become hateful or aggressive.
It would be unhealthy. You have to choose your battles wisely and know when it is right to speak up and fight, just as much as knowing when to move forward and not invest all of your energy on a certain behaviour, person or an ignorant and unthoughtful comment. What do you think Berliners can do to be more progressive towards ethnic minorities? I think this question is way bigger than just Berlin. What piece of advice would you give to other black girls growing up in Berlin?
Growing up as a black girl in Berlin can be confusing. Would you ever consider leaving Berlin for the country of your familial heritage? It taught me a lot about myself, my culture and my family. It is obviously very different and I really appreciate the experience, but at the same time I realised that the freedom I have as a woman to move relatively free in Germany, is not a norm. Where did you spend your childhood before finding home in Berlin?
I was only six when I moved to Germany. Do you feel as if people of colour are treated fairly in Berlin? To be honest, I find Berlin to be a great city for people of colour. Actually this motivates me. But I should move back to Ghana someday, back to the place of my birth. Do you feel if people were more concerned with your background where you grew up or here in Berlin? I grew up in Brooklyn, New York and moved to Berlin over a year ago.
