What was it like growing up in Atlanta?

Growing up in Atlanta in the 90s was an interesting time. Hip Hop and R&B culture was on the rise, and I believe this is when Atlanta got the nickname “Black Hollywood” or “Chocolate City”. Black people were thriving. It’s where everybody wanted to be. This meant that meeting different people of different races was quite rare. I think from age 5 to 18, I had one white teacher and that was my only interaction with someone of a different race until I left home for college.

I know it’s crazy to think, but segregation was still a thing when I was growing up. I was taught early where not to go, what not to say in certain places, and where not to be at certain times. For example, a rule of thumb was if you are driving at night and have to go through Alabama or Mississippi, you do not stop for petrol. NOTHING. Never. These states were major in the lynching era and still have sundown towns.

Who was your inspiration growing up?

Back then, there weren’t many black princesses or women in power to “look up to”, but If I had to say who I would aspire to be, I would say my cousin Bianca. In southern black families, we are close. So even though she was my first cousin, we grew up as sisters basically. I remember wishing I was poised, and calm like her. I think it’s safe to say I was a rambunctious child. So, as I got older, I tried to follow her footsteps throughout school. She is 4 years older than me, so when I went to high school, she would’ve just graduated. She was a cheerleader and I followed that. She probably doesn’t even know how much she’s impacted my childhood, but she will always be my first idea of the type of woman I want to be.

What was the biggest impact for you when moving from America to the UK?

I say this joke all the time, but if the English spoke another language, it would be no different. It is honestly a completely different world. As soon as you step off the plane. It’s that drastic. I don’t think I was fully prepared for the culture shock. So many small things you wouldn’t think of like, how the grocery stores are set up; why is applesauce NOT by the canned fruit? But the biggest impact I would say would be the safety. I know we have crime here, but it is nowhere near the level of crime in America. To give you an example, I witnessed my first shooting when I was 15 outside my high school. I don’t feel scared going to public places here. I don’t feel as though I can’t sit with my back to the door in fear of someone coming in shooting. I don’t walk into places and feel like I don’t belong. It’s a different atmosphere here completely.

What has changed for you culturally now you are living in the UK

The major change is that I don’t have any black friends here. Whereas at home, all my friends are black. It’s just completely different. So, it’s a lot of teaching my friends here about black culture and telling them things they’ve never heard of. Things that I was taught from birth basically. Because Atlanta was the heart of the civil rights movement with Dr. King. So, Jim Crow laws, segregation and slavery were taught in school at a very early age. But I’ve realized that it is not common knowledge to people from other places.

Do you think enough is being done to recognise black voices?

I honestly don’t know if the world will ever get to a point where we feel black voices are FULLY recognized. But I do believe that we are coming into a time where there has been so much progress. Seeing allies of different races supporting, protesting, and marching hand in hand with the Black Lives Matter movement has brought me to tears many times.