It’s been many years since I felt the colour of my skin was a barrier to gaining a job – I’ve always had a positive approach. We as Black people don’t always have this, it's important not to put negative perceptions ahead of reality. Always see yourself as a man/woman first before the colour of your skin. As I’ve got older, a different fear factor has creeped up in my thoughts – ageism, believing "if I leave my job in search of something different, will my age be a barrier rather than the colour of my skin?" I’m not getting any younger and I wonder whether opportunities will exist for me elsewhere.
There’s been a lot of trauma in my family over the past few years that’s made me think about the things I would like to have in place for the future, not just for me but for my family. When I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, I spoke to many male friends, I wanted to raise awareness and encourage everyone I knew to get checked and keep themselves healthy. I’ve lost family and friends who passed away too young due to cancer – and you think, how can that happen at that age?
In my youth I would say I was quite pro-Black, gaining inspiration from Afrocentric hip hop music, listening to Young Black Teachers, X Clan to Jungle Brothers. If I had to compare… back then I was more Malcolm X and now I’d say I’m a mellowed Martin Luther King. Racism in the 70s and 80s was different from how it is now. Back then, if someone was racist, you would know, they would tell you, it was directly in front of you. Now… it’s under the cuff. Being first generation, I've experienced what racism is, what violence is. For me, the conversation about racism is both a tiring and draining thing to continuously talk about. My hope is for the next generation of all colours to pick up the mantle and continue to raise awareness of the cause.