Nansare: Mama Africa

Something I want people to know about me is that I was born in Kenya but originally from Uganda. I speak more Luganda than Kiswahili and I am trying my best to teach my daughter what I know and have kept from my roots. I grew up here in Seattle. I came here when Bill Clinton was running for President. I arrived at night so when we woke up everything was white outside and cold. I had never seen snow in my life so that was pretty cool to go and play in it. In Africa, we get hail so I was shocked that it snowed and I was really convinced that the whole country was like that! Coming from a very warm country, I was freaking out thinking that I was going to die being cold. Anyway, after I got through my 1st winter in America, I started school and the kids were not very nice to me.

I got bullied at school for my accent and my black skin and was constantly called "African booty scratcher". It was all new to me because I came from a country with many black people and you only saw white people every once in a while. It was a rough beginning for me and a huge shock that black Americans that looked like me were the ones that went hard on bullying me. Boy, am I glad those days are over. I love that we are all embracing each other, the culture and our melanin. It is now more important than ever to unite as one and stand against police brutality and blatant racism we now face as black people as our fears continue to grow every time we leave our homes and get into our cars.

My experiences have shaped who I am from my upbringing back home that I held onto and growing up in America as an African girl with the opportunity to go to school for free until college, something I would not have been able to do while still in Uganda. I am thankful for every moment, every experience, every opportunity, every person that I crossed paths with because in one form or another it has helped shape the Nansare you see today. Many were lessons and some were inspirational and I always strive to take something positive from even the bad experiences in life.