Black Teenager in Rural Wales Describes Being Called ‘Exotic’

“I moved from London to Wales and was called exotic.”Nyarai, a 16-year-old, reported being labeled “exotic” after relocating from London to Wales. Having moved to Carmarthenshire at age 13, she described feeling “very different” from her peers in the largely white, rural community. She became involved with We Move at SpanArts in Pembrokeshire, an organization established to empower young individuals to discuss and articulate their identities. Molara Anwen, the project coordinator, characterized as a “stupid cliche” the notion that anti-racism efforts should primarily focus on urban centers, arguing that rural regions frequently exhibit the greatest need. She added that groups facilitating connections among diverse young people assist them in addressing instances of racism and micro-aggressions. On Thursday, the Welsh government updated its anti-racist action plan, building upon its 2022 report by detailing strategies to combat racism. However, data from the 2021 census indicates that 0.9% of Pembrokeshire residents identified their ethnic group as “mixed or multiple,” an increase from 0.6% in 2011. Molara asserted that these largely white areas require the most assistance to safeguard young people. In 2021, Nyarai and her family relocated from London to Llanelli. She described this transition as a “daunting experience,” moving from an urban environment where she felt a strong sense of belonging among many people to a largely white region. “I would walk down the street and there’s like 20 of us, but here I walk around and see barely anyone [like me],” she stated. She noted that encountering terms like “exotic” at school was a novel experience, necessitating an adjustment to an environment primarily composed of white individuals. “Being in school, it made me really like, ‘whoa, I really am different’, but different isn’t bad, it’s pretty good,” she commented. Nyarai began participating in sessions with We Move in Pembrokeshire, a youth-led organization catering to black children and young people. “It allows me to relate to other people that have the same experience as me, especially where I am in Wales,” she explained. “I don’t have a lot of people in my community. So going to the community meet-ups allows me to relate and to have someone to talk to.” We Move at SpanArts, supported by Children in Need, provides various activities, from singing to surfing, throughout south west Wales. Within We Move, the Llwy Gariad initiative brings together diverse young individuals, facilitated by the Welsh government’s anti-racist action plan. Molara stated: “It was clear that there was quite a lot of diverse people living down tracks, living rurally, who struggled with identity.“So having the funding to bring them together has been amazing because some of them didn’t even realise that the lack of identity is such an issue.” She expressed disapproval of “stupid clichés that anti-racism work and diversity and inclusion” were exclusively urban necessities. “In those areas where young people don’t encounter diversity of food, of cultures like you would in a city [it is as important]. It’s even more important for all of the young people in those areas to be aware and to be respectful,” she remarked. She noted that while teenagers inherently navigate a distinct period of self-discovery, black and brown adolescents additionally confront racism and micro-aggressions, occasionally becoming targets in educational settings and online. Molara further commented that while some young individuals “didn’t really get it,” she had witnessed others develop a stronger sense of self. “You can see they are voicing who they want to be, what they want to be and how they want to be defined and how they really don’t want to be defined,” Molara added. “So they are really standing up to themselves, saying to their families, to education and rural west Wales: hold on we’re here, we have a voice and we are going to speak up for ourselves.” Indigo Young, 18, from Whitland, who also participates in the sessions, expressed appreciation for the benefits these environments provide to young people. She stated: “It’s important for young people to be able to talk with people that look like them and have similar experiences.”I know that actually a lot of the people in our group have experienced racism, especially in a school setting, so I think it’s very important that they can talk about that with us.” She mentioned a particular enjoyment for creating films with the group, which frequently delve into themes of race and identity. “It was important because it was a message from us young people to say what we really want,” she commented. Both Indigo and Nyarai participate in singing with the group and are scheduled to join a UK-wide choir for the Children in Need appeal night on Friday, 15 November. Nyarai remarked: “I love singing within a choir, especially with Molara.”Her songs are great. So I think having that experience again is really going to help me with my confidence with singing as well.” The choir’s performance can be viewed on the Children in Need appeal show on 15 November, broadcast on BBC One and available on iPlayer. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding its approach to external linking is available.