An experience that moved me as an Afro-Descendant would have to be when I was living in Tanzania for a time and my Tanzanian friends would call me "dada" which means sister in Swahili and would remind me that Africa is my home too, despite the fact that I didn't grow up there and that even if I didn't know where exactly I came from, I could always call their country home because they're my family. I definitely stand for #RepresentationMatters, but I don't have a platform to amplify the voices of those who need representation. I do my best by sharing informative posts, videos, and such but the small following I have are those with similar mindsets to mine. Therefore, I feel my influence is limited.
I'm proud of my heritage because I'm proud of my African American heritage because it's proof that people who look like my ancestors can defeat the odds and do great things in and for a society that never intended to include them.
Biggest misconception people haveAs an African American girl who has lived in 3 different African countries over the last 10 years, the biggest misconception I've heard concerning my heritage is that I'm falsely claiming it because globally, it's believed that American and visibly African descendant don't go together.
Why do you think Diversity matters?I think diversity matters because my teachers abroad should be able to appreciate and understand the difference between my story and my Somali, Nigerian, Congolese, and Sudanese friend's stories. However that was never the case and I got to witness first-hand how it makes people of African Nationality or African descent feel ashamed to take pride in their cultural differences and represent themselves as more than a skin color.