Hi my name is  Silu and you're tuning in
Ssico podcast.
Hey Silu, thank you for hopping on the
podcast. I'm really excited to have this
conversation with you. I saw on your
Instagram you know that you're you know
advocating you've noticed everything
going on if with like current events and
everything and
you know I wanted to
really just understand your perspective
because
you're in Dublin and I think
you've been living there for a while and
as you know as a black person you know
living in America myself you know I've
seen the narrative that racism or
racism is the worst in America in terms
(yeah) It's really focused in America
but you know it's a worldwide issue and
it's something that it's affected by
people of color anywhere really so I
that's why I wanted to connect your
story and you know learn a little bit
more about you
so I guess just to start
off how is your week been that's that's
what I always say that that's my first
opener
I love that. First, just thanks for having me here.
I'm excited to be here. It's cool to be a part of the project.
and so far things
are good
I've just moved back to Dublin now and..
not just but recently enough and just
still kind of coming to terms with
things umm
here in Ireland obviously with everything happening
you know the
restrictions are being eased a little
bit more so
I'm  finally getting to see some
friends I haven't seen in a while.
In like a a year which is crazy umm all my family's
we're now back in the same house
which is crazy you know we're
working on home pushing each other out
the way it's hectic  But  I mean other than that
Life is good Helton. What about you ?
That's good you know that's that's
really refreshing hear you know. Just
life is good because like 2020 is so
crazy really You have to like focus on your
mental health and everything and for me
that's just really what I've been doing
I've been taking the time to really be
introspective just because you know I'm
home all day.
What makes me happy?
I had to learn that.
and Yeah
because in high school
just like growing up
I was much like in quarantine right
now
like I go to school, I come home
stay in my room and you know just chill
and I was the happiest boy in the world
like
so I'm trying to figure out like
what about then.
Like what what then and now
like what changed
What is it that makes
me happy now?
and and I think that's what changed
The things that make me happy have
changed.
So I've been trying to adjust
and really learn like oh I need to do
some exercise and a jog every morning to
get some fresh air.
I need to be social
which is one of the reasons that
I started this podcast I need to interact
with different people and learn
different perspectives and I
yeah I
think that's the biggest aspect of my
happiness and I need to learn how to
just not be social
Be on my own with
my thoughts and
be perfectly fine with
that.
You know just watch Netflix
A Netflix show by myself and be content
so, it's a it's a journey that's my 2020
journey
yeah it's strange especially
with quarantine now
I mean I we're all
if you have a phone you can see that
everyone's had to rethink the way they
live umm
one, just slowing down
but two
you know people learning how to make
banana bread or
learning how to
How to do you know
things that be used to like like you
said you know we're all trying to
reclaim and refined all those things
that we used to like
and used to find 
enjoyment out of
and it's kind of like a
2.0 now so
it's interesting to see
amongst my friends and family but
I'm glad you're finding it
yeah I'm trying
I'm doing my best
Thats all you can do
you know while we
were working together we're ex coworkers
I was always curious because you
decided
I heard that you decided to you know um
go to Sydney Australia to you know be
part of the sales team there and you
know that team was pretty small so I was
always just curious as to you know what
made you decide to you know go from
Dublin just to go to Sydney was it just
wanted to travel being a different
environment and really just how was that
for you
because I'd love to travel myself and
I'd love to go to Sydney one day
I'm sure you will knowing you I'm sure you
will but yeah it's a good question
so yeah I decided to move just pretty
much around this time last year and we
actually had our annual summit work and
everyone from all over the world got
together so Colin he was just reading
him in Australia on his own and then you
know the guys from the US and then all
of us in Dublin and at the time I was
working on the Australian market and on
the American market but in Dublin so
already a...idk if we can swear
on this
You definitely can, You can curse
Anything you want
Already a shit show so
That was, the number one
not the number one incentive,
but it's the first thing that piqued my interest
I was like this
This is  not really sustainable
and then I was just 
I was talking to some of the guys
and It just sounded it so good, Colin
came over with a tan  looking like life is so
good over there showing me pictures and
I just I made a little presentation and I
pitched it to you Alex and Brian at
the time
a couple of, you know the guys and I just
said like listen you guys I think that
this potential for me to go over
I think  you know
 I'd be a good fit I'd make the most out of the day
and I get to learn and it
sounds like an easy move but umm
really
because I'm moving within the same company
but I really wasn't I think the
things that scared me were one distance
the time the the fact that I don't know
how this is really gonna work the one
the other thing that was on my mind is
that I always hear about you know racism
in Australia that was  definitely one thing
that was in my mind because
you just
You always hear these stories
that they're
just not used to people of color there
they just don't 
know what to do with us I've seen a lot
of things online
I was uncomfortable
with that straight away it wasn't a
topic that I was really comfortable
addressing in work but
I was just
like listen man send me on a trial we'll
see what happens if I come back then
let's do it
and it worked out fine you know, it was fine
I don't think
I'm glad that I did it I'm
so glad that I did it I don;'t regret it at all
and I think I just knew that I had
nothing to lose right, it was a lesson or
blessing so
I feel like it turned out to
be both so that's fine
but, yeah I think sometimes you just gotta go
for it I feel like I didn't have much to
lose and I'd probably do it again
did you see any kangaroos
Yes, of course!
Did I ever
yeah, realize, I love animals
Wait so
How was, how was like ugh
I guess the nightlife or just like
regular life in Sydney?
Were  there
like some  popping clubs
you know what was going on there
yes so oh jeez my life
was definitely different because I lived
in Sydney so I was right in the center
It was very fancy very
it was quite different than Dublin
because Dublin's quite a small city and
I don't think Irish  people take life too
seriously
so when you go out it's just
its just,  think of like the wild
 but human form
like it's just
free rain for everyone there's alcohol and
it's just a mess (yeah)
so Sydney's a lot more elegant
a lot chicer or and 
that just didn't  really work for me it's not
what I was used to
I don't know I really did like it I
think the Australians did surprise me
They were quite they were standoffish
at first but I didn't experience
I didn't experience what I was so scared
of to begin with so
They were quite open
and I had a good time so yeah
I definitely recommend I really feel like you'd
like some of the clubs there
the only other thing is that
(little) yeah
The wine glass
Yes! I could imagine with a 
huge huge wine glass that was pretty
much me
umm but it was hard to find clubs
that you know would have my kind of
music and you know all I really like is the
migos and it's hard to find any of that
Yeah what was the music like
What did they play alot was there
a lot of American music or Australian
generic pop really I suppose a lot of ariana
grande's that kind of...
its music I'd
like but I always found myself
when I felt like looking for someone
like me just you know looking for somebody black that I could be like oh this
is great I feel right at home
and I
don't really think I ever found that so
that was the one thing I was just always
very aware of that and I think that's
that's one thing I do remember is that I
was always just aware that I stood out
even more so than I already do in
Ireland in Australia yeah it was that
black people were kind of few and far between
so
I think I was kind of always looking
for but the Australians took me and so
I do love them.
yeah that is tough like um you know how
I was raised in a city so you know New York
City is very it's very diverse
luckily but anytime I, you know,
travelled and went on a road trip and I
I was just like ughh
in a place I was just
I could tell oh I forget the majority is
of the country's white
and of world so just
like being like the only black person or
black family at a restaurant and things
or just any of any location it's really
it takes some getting used to
just to be comfortable in your own skin
because like
just like I know it 
you know it too
oh there's there's
there's a black person right there like
we both know I'm the only one
Yeah, it's like a mind check
So you're just like
Are we gonna address it?
no no okay
yes so
but yeah in Dublin...in Ireland
I noticed that you know there
were some people of color there umm it's not as
as far in between as Australia but
you know just, what was that ,
what was
that like for you did you um how was
that did you find a community of you
know people of colour or just in general
did you feel just completely comfortable
in Dublin
yeah I mean in Dublin we've
definitely come quite away and there's a
huge african community over here so it's
you know you'd even find out in
restaurants now which wasn't really a
thing when I first moved here so I moved
here in 2005 and I was about 10 years
old then yeah you wouldn't
you see other people like us even at
that time I know it was only like 15
years ago but we don't like I I'm quite
used to being the only black person and
pretty much every situation for the last
10 years or so but in recent times more
Africans moved here and that's great
because there's more things
that are specific so you have
even myself because I'm from South Africa
originally
and found that I've found more
more than I can relate to with other
Africans because xenophobia in South
Africa is a whole another story but you
just there's quite a segregation there
and you never I never really got to know
about other Africans until I'm in
Ireland so I think that is a surprise
and yeah there's definitely a sense as a
community here more so than with
Africans here but I think when it comes
to the Africans and the Irish there's
still
room to go there's still umm that friction I
I don't think the Irish are very aware of
it
but you know there's still definitely
room to go
yeah microaggressions are
something that (exactly)
that you really
you know as
as a person that's not in the African
or black community
its something you have
to learn like and recognize for yourself
especially when it's pointed out to you
like oh wait a minute this isn't a right
train of thought and this is what sparks
it and I need to actively distance
myself from it
umm ( Yeah exactly)
yeah and I'm curious
for you know just
in general just police and police
brutality Ireland and in Dublin
umm I know, I'm not sure exactly what the
regulations are for police like do are
they armed because I know some and some
in some countries police aren't arms like I
think London for example (yeah)
So they aren't armed over here either
there's a armed unit
but the regular police are not armed
so (They're not arrmed)
I take that as a positive
so in terms of police
brutality these unarmed you know police or
central police
do they still you know
exhibit brutality at a disproportionate
rate towards you know people of color or
Africans from what you've noticed
yeah
so my experience for sure definitely it
might not
be you know because they're unarmed
doesn't mean that they're in cases all
of the time especially if even on
things like nights out if they know that
it's gonna be mostly you know black
people that are gonna be in this venue
just the nature of of the events you'll
always find extra you know police just
ready just there just waiting
and there's
there's always
it's the way that yeah it's
the way that they
talk to us really cuz
I've had situations like that too
it's the way that  they talk to us here
umm by no
means is it  the same as America whatsoever at
the end of the day it's not but it is
is like you said it's that microaggression
so
it's the way they treat us the way
that you always have to over explain
yourself it's you know
it's the way that
it's no coincidence that
their attentions brought  towards me when
 I'm, you know
Surrounded by my Irish friends and we're all going to this like we're all
doing the same thing, and I'm like this is no coincidence
its no coincidence
so its things like that, that always build up
but that  being said I think that
 you know comparisons
to the bigger picture it's not as
extreme
Its not as extreme, but l there's a way
this is for sure a way to go
and you see
 within,
within the police I'm pretty
sure the last time I checked we have one
black police officer
in the entire country
(really!) that was ugh national
news and he got a lot of backlash they
alot of people weren't happy with that
When he got hired that was the National news?
yes that was national. They were like
 yes this is the first
know the first black guy to become a
police officer in Ireland (wow)
and and that
was yeah it was we still good for you at
least you know we're breaking into
something but on the other end
yeah there was quite a lot of backlash
from what I remember wow yeah we're
gonna talk about that in a second but
thank you just stick it up police
brutality um yeah the micro aggressions
I couldn't even imagine especially when
they're not black and they don't have a
black presence in in the police force
which I think it's it's so important to
have me from have you noticed it or they
cases whether few or many of so simply
just police brutality just like either
someone insisted they're not aren't
which I guess is a good thing but I
guess they're still they still do have
weapons like clubs or things of that
nature is that is that a thing that
you've seen or just you know and the
jail system is there do you think a
disproportionate way in terms of oh I'm
gonna arrest you for nothing really and
just put you in the system mmm it's good
question and for me in my in my opinion
it's not something that I've seen a lot
of in terms of brutality to that extent
that I've noticed that hey look you know
this is disproportionate I'm sure that
there might be but on my own in my own
experience it's not something I've
actually seen but what I have seen is
that it's more of a case of they'll turn
a blind eye when things do happen so the
violence is usually and it's absolute
you know attacks on black people so for
instance there was a guy that had he's
about 16 years old
there was an acid attack on a moose
basically racial attack and about a
month ago
and there were no charges the police
wouldn't come for about two days he's in
hospital like it's where it's case the
way they just dismiss black people so
maybe the police aren't as you know as
actively harming us the way that they
are in America but it's that there's a
kind of disregard for black lives
another way that we realize then then
you know sometimes you're exaggerating
they think we're we're the ones that are
probably in the wrong they just
everything just six long berries so
things don't get processed it's always
well this whole really was it so I see
that a lot I see that they don't they
don't take it seriously so to me that is
that's that's a whole different story
but it just it doesn't seem as obvious
limits and it's all these tiny things
that don't seem as obvious and it's hard
to record but it's there yeah that's
tough that's tough no the good thing the
good thing about America is that
although you know there are minority
communities it's very diverse
every community is large because the country
is huge so therefore you know anything
that's happening to a particular group
can be studied verified you know caught
on camera
you know the people minority communities
do have a presence everywhere there's
like you know there's an Asian person in
the Senate there's a Muslim person a
black person things things of that
nature so these are things that we
ourselves can can speak on like hey this
is happening here's the move but in
countries where the minority is even
smaller
you know like in Ireland not a huge
presence at all it can it's a I saw way
more like harder fight in terms of
because you know if you're only
supporting yourselves like if you
organize a protest and only about a
thousand people show up yeah like
there's there's not the presence your
presence won't be felt or heard and I
think it isn't fair because you know I
think just like seeing the world support
the movement that began in America I
think that support isn't part of because
of you know things that you've noticed
in the Irish community that can be
happening in several places where the
minority isn't as strong so this is how
we fight we get fuel from the America we
support America but we also supporting
ourselves we want the same things they
want for our sins know for sure that's
exactly it to be honest umm
and that's why I do say Ireland has a way to go and I
I know I touched on this but with
things like
me being, you know,
the first person black person in my school ever
(wow)
going into 2007 umm
which is crazy to me
you don't see any
teachers that look like you you don't
see you know if you do see people like
nurses
they have, they're getting
attacked themselves some of
my friends that are nurses have told me stories of issues
where their colleagues get them mixed up
with another black person because they
think we all you know look the same it's just
Ireland is just (yeah)
sigh
Yeah it's quite
frustrating you can tell
Im getting a little heated up but umm
yeah it's frustrating Man
yeah it's almost like, 
it's kind of
cuz most
most of the times when you hear the
first black person to
it's like an accomplishment
but like
when you're the
first black person to enter a school
or first black person to be a chef at
this restaurant
in modern times that's sort of an indication of
where that
community is racially and diversely speaking
it's not an accomplishment
it's more like
what took you so long?
what's happening? right
How are there still firsts? Like
In any time
that I've been alive
how are there still any firsts?
yeah like when you when you
mentioned that the first police a black
police officer ever hired in the country
of a violinist that's kind of Wow like I
never thought I'd hear that or and the
fact that it became coverage and I can't
even imagine what were they saying like
oh he shouldn't be a cop he's a criminal
that's the contradiction people like us
being like first of all how is this a
first and also like we'll see you like
you know go see you it's great to see us
be somewhere you know least one of us
somewhere and then other people saying
this is a disgrace you know um at the
end of these not our issues were born
here as well you know hating me - no I
really should be able to be married so
everyone was wondering like how that
even happened and it was a huge split
but at the end of the day when you see
comments like that
at a time like this you're just like
cheese we have such a way to go and a
lot of people here would be like no
we're not racist no that doesn't happen
like that doesn't happen here I'm just
I'm just concerned you know I'm just I'm
coming from a good place and they don't
see that because they're not actively
you know in a committee they're not
actively I'm here trying to harm us
amazing
yeah the education it's not there
because it's not emphasized you know why
should I learn about white privilege or
or systemic racism when you know there
aren't there a handful of you know I
people keep of this community and in my
area completely schools here either I
know you know for you guys you might get
a tiny percentage from know the likes of
Martin Luther King and I'm sure and also
who's really across the world even
growing up in South Africa where the
population is African you don't really
hate it so much about African history
and so it's it's something that that
needs to be taught and it has not even
taught in schools it's definitely all
taught at home either so why am I
surprised that it's like this yeah
come baby by the way feel free to ask me
any questions you want yeah major but
because I know you you weren't born in
the US so what's your perspective on
this you know going back home you were
born in Mozambique wasn't it yes yes I
was just gonna get today because yeah as
an African myself I was born and wasn't
be again I moved to New York City when I
was seven so you know films us similar
to you you know moving from South Africa
we're around the same age and raised in
Oakland I was raised in New York City
and for me you know it took some time
just to really like the most important
step for me was really just identity
like who am i what do identify as or
what am i proud of because you know
growing up know from Mozambique you know
I had a nice in I I remember for for
shoulder I would say soldier but don't
touch my soldier and that was funny so
how was how was like teased just for
Miami congruence and in in my school I
was raising up in a Dominican
neighborhood and therefore that impacted
my identity was it was more like I was
sort of ashamed for a while and it
wasn't until high school I remember the
first day you know luckily my high
school was very diverse
I saw people you know I saw the whole
spectrum I was talking to this Muslim
woman you know shadow of a job she was
probably saying where she's from and she
wasn't hiding anything and that's when I
realized oh I can do this
I can I can I don't have to hide Who I
am and have to be ashamed of Who I am as
an African and as a Mosin beacon and
that that was an important step for me
you know and in high school so you know
relating to in everything going on now
it's more so with my identities like I
Know Who I am and things like that but
it's there's a struggle identifying with
certain groups like um yes I'm black but
I'm not like black American I wasn't
raised in a black community I was raised
enough Dominican community so there's
that distance between you know just in
black culture black American culture
there's a lot of things that I can't
relate to there are a lot of things that
I can relate to because you know black
American culture is like a key cultures
and in America you know white people
consume it a lot you know other other
communities consume it a lot you know
even to the world just to music there
are and and forget that so I understand
enough through that and you know through
my you know in college and and things of
that nature but there's that distance
there and in Mozambique you know I
wasn't and even though I'm from there I
was born there I'm not I don't know the
culture I don't know my culture as much
so there's that distance you know there
so I'm really just I sort of like a
neutral sort of horn hand and all this
of course I'm affected because I am
black and you're walking on a tree you
just think I'm a black American and
things like that so with with the whole
racism thing at first I was I was like
still it's 2020 like why is this why we
still having these discussions and these
conversations a lot of it is affected by
you know the leadership in America
obviously with the Trump administration
he has his own biases and he's chosen
his side and things like that so that
doesn't help you know he's not really
there for unity in my opinion but you
know just in general I think it just
made me lose some some trust
and just people in general like growing
up I was always like oh you know common
senses as common but it's not so common
it's just learning growing up and I
always wondered you know why are adult
so pessimistic like oh the world still
the world is fucked up I'd always hear
that too
the world is a dark place and people are
stupid and whatever and I'm like I don't
see any stupid people and you know
eventually I was like oh okay when
people just started being a lot more
spoken you know I think that dad that's
what it was a lot of people were silent
like the silent majority was silent and
they started you know the most extreme
counterpart so if that majority started
speaking up and voicing their opinion
proudly thanks to you know the Trump
administration so that's when I realized
oh there's a lot more the issue was a
lot bigger than I thought and growing up
in this bubble of diversity in New York
City I wasn't aware of that and it took
some time for me to understand that so
I'm just coming in terms of that now
because this year just terrible but
these last year's these last four years
I've have ever been I've been real shaky
for me and I think for the country of
America now I would definitely yeah I
can definitely see that as an outsider
looking in and especially with social
media as well it's just it's it's been
really interesting for me to see
people's perspectives on all of this or
it people's lack of anyways you know a
lot of any voice or just any opinion
whatsoever and the other thing that I
wanted to ask you is what was your
perspective then we don't need to touch
on it too much but just in you know work
wise and you know it was you know there
any situations where I like using a huge
scope where's going with this this fine
is fine um with yeah work with work you
know how was it it was goes good that
was the only person of color at least in
your city
yes yeah it was all I see one other
person
and you know it was it was fine there
was nothing that I actively experienced
in terms of either racism or
microaggressions it was like I was
really at least dealing with black
people and I did notice some occasions
where you know someone would say like a
particular story about another group and
it was it wasn't sensitive and sensitive
it wasn't like racist like I think I
remember one of my co-workers he went on
I think when Colin came to visit I'm not
sure if it was common but maybe it was
when when he came to visit
it was just telling this story of like
um he used to live and in mine in my old
neighborhood and what in the Washington
Heights where I was where I grew up the
Dominican neighborhood and and he would
he was a white male and he was just
telling the story of this roommate let's
say his name is Pablo or whatever and he
was like one day you know his roommate
got into a fight with some Latin drug
dealers for whatever reason and the
story was just so it was so crazy and it
wasn't like nobody asked like why are
you bringing why are you bringing this
up what is this with anything so it was
just kind of uncomfortable for the
people who are like listening I was like
what's that being there and there were
some instances where there was like some
misogyny micronation things going on and
with people like with like managers and
things like that so it was yes it was a
little weird it was a little weird for
for people because I'm uncomfortable and
I'm not even a woman I can only imagine
the woman that female my female
co-workers were listening to the story
so it was this was crazy but you know
the wrong those those were you know they
weren't like frequent occurrences or
anything like no although they shouldn't
be occurrences at all but yeah it's just
subtle it's just tough because like just
because you're working and this is a
work environment and each company has
their own culture and things like that
that those are just you know
seize the people make the culture
regardless of whatever the company
states so if you bring your own outside
microaggressions into the workplace then
that's just stuff that's just stuff how
about you on your side
yeah I'm just even trying to think I
know I asked you but I didn't really
think of this myself to be honest until
until all until I suppose these last few
weeks this kind of got me thinking about
my own story and and obstacles I may
have faced and yeah I think I would
agree I think there's just been times
where it's even the smallest things of I
know that people just talk to me
differently because I'm just because I'm
black so and I don't know you might you
probably might not be insisted or
suddenly go from like yes Laura and of
course Sam hey yeah and that was I'm not
that could be impartial because that's
sometimes how I talk and also because of
the fact that maybe if I comfortable
these people that you know I'd consider
myself to be quite you know friends with
them works but I think upon stuff like
that all the time or it's just it's the
small things again I know I'm kind of
repeating myself a lot but um yeah I
suppose that would be it I don't think
there was anything that stood out to
that extreme but I also think that I
didn't really my eyes one many that oh
and I think because I've just lived in
Ireland I've always used to some level
of you know there's a lot of leeway here
because if we give the excuse of let's
Ireland do it's a small country and you
know they don't know any better or well
this is also a small company so they
already know any better but I think my I
just didn't think the same way that I
think now given the fact that I've I've
even asked to do some research I am
still trying to also figure out other
people's perspectives to and I'm
definitely looking more into that
especially even some of my own friends
who have a different experiences to me
might not even speak exactly the way I
do sometimes and I always get it you
know and because maybe I saw more
because I have a lot of Irish friends as
well I don't sound as black or as Africa
and I get that all the time as well so
maybe I'm just really curious about
other people's experiences as well
because people have been sharing some of
their stories with me and it's opened my
eyes a lot more I really don't feel like
I've lived in a bubble as well yeah I
think I think you know back to that
point about not sounding black or not
acting I think that's something that
just a lot of people in the black
community just have struggled if
struggle with I struggle with that
myself in terms of how I speak and and
things like that it's changed you know
in high school I was you know was saying
like nikka and things like that doubt I
would say that all the time because that
was just New York City yeah and people
the people of color in the community
that's just how you talk justice I
communicate especially in high school
but in college I haven't really said it
as much you know I still say when I want
to but it's it's it's not something that
I rely on is you know that's it's not a
way of talking I've recognized that you
know for a while I was just I just
wasn't comfortable saying it all the
time
um and things like that so just there's
these different stages of what being
black is or you know what and then
there's this layer like what being a
black man is and you know masculinity
and the toxicity because no black man
you're supposed to be you know a lot
more tougher and the black community in
general it has to be a lot more suffer
because of the things you've gone
through and the things we've overcome
and you know the transition of mental
health awareness that being a spark and
also the mmvt community that corn and
being a spark like it's okay to be black
and gay it's okay to be black and trans
and and things of that nature I think
just as a community where we're all
growing to establish that cuz on the
flip side the white community I think
they have that too but to a fault like
just what's what's being wide enough
like oh why are you hanging out with
only you know black people or people of
color or yeah
are you attracted to you know this
person why you in the interracial
relationship are you being wide enough
for you looking at were your own in
terms of like I think the good thing
about the black community is how
understanding we are like if you're a
southerner I'm sure just grown up you
struggle in terms of the whole
Confederate movement here in the United
States where the South fought against
the north they had a civil war because
they wanted to you know keep the slaves
and although they lost award that the
south and they're they're their
offspring and things like that they're
very proud of their history and and you
know I can understand that you know
growing up as a white male or white
southerner and you hearing these war
stories of your grandpa here and they
show you these medals and there are
these statues that no show you history
even though it's it's negative from one
perspective of course I you know I can
understand how you'd feel proud of that
and how you wouldn't think of it as a
negative thing however you just have to
open up and see you know how that
affects other people other communities
how it's a privilege that these are even
up because there are lots of instances
where other communities have key
monuments that and their disfigure me
because they want to erase that history
they want to erase these accomplishments
and these fights and things of that
nature I didn't learn about you know
what I just done when I learned about
slavery I just thought that people would
be surprised and that was that they
never fought back that was in my head
why why don't they fight back there's a
lot more of them than whatever and they
did fight back there were there were
slaves who who fought against you know
their masters and run away and and I
think there was a famous one a famous
case I forget I forget the name I'll
just say we did it but he he had a
movement that sparked the revolt and
they killed their masters but they also
killed their families and it's dark it's
it's not there's no real happy side to
it cuz you know slaves are being
oppressed their families getting killed
your slave you fight back your revolt
and you do the same thing you kill the
Masters and kill their families out of
anger because that's just a system your
animal and that's you Murray
that story isn't told because at least
on on the negative side of their
oppressors because they don't want they
don't want us to make a scene like oh
there was power work it was culpable a
snake that makes me think it's so
interesting to hear the different
perspectives as well because there's a
lot about American history as well and I
just don't know we just don't really
learn that over here and in Ireland it's
it's more so that way than trying to
convince him that there even is amiss
Johan you know a lot of people here just
they think that way when nothing exists
here and that is all equal and everyone
has exact same opportunity and it's I
wearing a point even in 2020 where we're
trying to even wake people up and say
first of all there's even an issue to
address to begin with like any I don't
know you're living in that's just no
reality you know image is a thing these
issues do happen and yes it doesn't mean
that people are getting shot as you know
every day by police officers but it
means there's thousands of people here
that are experiencing depression because
of people like you so we're just trying
to wake people up right now
even in 2020 and then you tell many
stories like that of you know make oh it
just makes me so frustrated yeah yeah
it's it's it's very layered it's very
layered but you know other than that
what are some just to get back on
positive stuff because life is not
racism right whatever
no I guess what suppose like a fun or
crazy story that you experienced it in
college and in Dublin I'd love to know
just about how you know your college
experience was like um just along with
with your friends yeah oh sure yeah and
it's all I think is a blur it's rub my
eyes I even remember anything but
college is it
it's interesting because most people you
know that have homes and duffman they
don't really move out of their house so
essentially you're in college but you
don't I know in America a lot of people
kind of move on home and they kind of go
if the college treatment and you're off
here a lot of people still have I hope
they still live at home or else they
were still living at home during college
so yeah with what I don't think I ever
got to experience that kind of freedom
that I'm a lot of yes which is probably
why I was like let me move to the
farthest country away that I could
possibly think of so that's probably one
of the reasons but I really I really
enjoy college I think it was the first
time I got to have the mix of cultures
like you got to have and while you're in
school
because you have all these international
students coming along and I got you know
to meet people from everywhere and
different you know religions and it was
that was definitely my first taste of
like oh my gosh this is even you know
Asians from all these different
countries that you can just you know I'm
aware of it but I just never got to meet
them not in my school not a my schooling
anyway so I love that I do and I'm
really happy that I have so many great
Irish friends people who are considered
to be family now so I know if some of
the know- I've kind of just really
that's just the truth that's just really
reality but also the only reality of it
is that the artists so many Irish
families who aren't just in uni they're
looking to learn still there's always
looking to be considered on there they
they understand out of basic that they
are in a position of privilege and and
that they can use of me and maybe a
better way so you know I have a lot of
my friends here and and I can see it
with them as well and you know they're
asking me questions now and I don't have
all the answers I really don't I I do
i I know I've said a few things but I
think that I'm really had a great
experience living in Ireland because I
should we'll don't take life too
seriously like I feel they might in
America my story no idea I really yeah I
feel like I've been on the luckier end
though because as I touched on because
maybe how I speak I feel like sometimes
people have given me more
pass and detox just find enough to kind
of be approachable there she smiles
enough that she doesn't seem that scary
or you know so I feel like I'm always
that middleman in situations where I
feel I don't know if you've ever felt
that that obligation I don't know kind
of again but it is it's just it's
company something on your mind when you
don't see people like you all the time
yeah yeah that's that's that's another
dangerous type and in my introspection
of myself cuz I'm very I'm like a very
calm person very chill and it was just
like going up out I was just when when
when was that transition or when did it
happen because I get over things very
easily I don't like to hold brunches and
and yeah and at first you know there was
a time where I thought why do I do this
you know people can take advantage of
that sometimes and you know like if they
do something wrong to me and I just
forgive them and having again it's not
okay but I learned that um I'm not like
that I will remember you know what of
course I will forgive but I won't like
same habits won't happen again I like
I'm gonna let people take advantage of
me but I think that you know a huge
reason of why I'm this way is just to
that point you know being approachable
not being that scary I think it's just
something that I consciously think about
as a black man because you know a lot of
the time in these police brutality cases
I fear for my life is lovely lines that
they love to say we even though they're
the ones that are armed and the other
person may not be armed you still fear
for your life so I guess that really
stuck with me and at a young age and it
just made me just act as approachable as
I can be in and just do I think it's
just like a survival instinct and just
and just do and I don't think it's
something that you know anyone can do
because you know it's not conscious it's
just how I am
but I think part of what shaped that is
that just that realization
hey you can you don't have the luxury of
being frustrated in public or looking
angry and ugly and things of that nature
because people will people fear you
regardless of you know how you are so I
think that's what you know that's that's
how I've know dealt with that oh yeah I
think that's that's so true
and that's so true I think you said
that's a little yeah it's it's it's
great it really affects every horrible
but you know as as also a black woman
not just a black person a black woman no
have you do you feel like as a woman or
like I with a relation or a connection
for the Irish women and your community
and and I'm just curious is there his
misogyny is that an awareness in Ireland
is that talked about yeah at least
that's how and now what's been done
about it not very much but at least you
know people are trying to address that I
think actually you know with
conversations with my own friends you
know who are guys you know who Irish
guys and and I'm speaking with you know
read a group setting it's also does
remind me of just remind you that we're
still even trying to convince and that
that's a thing too and you know a lot of
people don't see that so I think I'm
seeing a pattern there as well is that
you know some everyone thinks that we're
all in the equal page is easier than
Irish way and I think that everyone
lives the same nice that you do but
that's not really the case at all I've
seen it especially in work environments
for sure and for sure definitely
and and yeah I don't it's definitely
talked about I don't really know where
things are gonna go right now in Ireland
I think I think we just we still
consider ourselves to be such a small
country and that anything is is fine and
I don't really know yeah I don't really
know how some of them do do you feel a
connection this with your like African
roots cuz you know I mentioned earlier
that you know I don't really yeah that's
just you know it's
me to say that it took a long time for
me to just even admit that that I don't
relate to my culture and to my family
members because you know I know who I
know I know who I remember like my
grandparents maybe a cousin or two but
my family is huge is big and a lot I
don't really and I don't know a lot of
them and I know that's a problem or an
issue that I'm gonna have to it's gonna
be you know long as they want to have to
deal with that and work towards but you
know I was just curious with you and
South Africa have you visited do you
know your extended family or if do you
feel connected to them yeah I really do
and I think it's strange because the I
left when I was 10 years old but I think
I've always felt such a deep connection
to South Africa I think specifically
because I couldn't see a lot of people
like me when I first moved and I was
just holding on to that and I was just
holding on to the fact that you know I I
always think I should maybe I was trying
to stand out or so but I just always
wanted to tell people where I was from
tell them about all the cool things you
know that you can do in South Africa and
because I have such an extended family
we kind of shake them to be honest I uh
I pop up on Facebook I find a new cousin
every day so I mean I they haven't let
it no they haven't let us forget them
and I go back every three or four years
and little bit you know my family's
there like you said it's just my media
found me my mom and my Chico this year
everyone else but I know it's in South
Africa and when I when I grow up over
there was such a sense of community that
our house is essentially the house where
half my family would always just find
themselves you know I grew up with where
my uncles and aunts would kind of just
live in our house or else we just
wouldn't it was never ready in my
immediate family until we moved Ireland
I don't think I've ever had a single
mine mine in my childhood weight it was
just my mom and my brothers it was
always moving parts and I think I loved
that it probably made me be the top of
the person that I am sometimes because
you have to you know fight just to be
heard
yeah but I love that sense of community
and I think it's something that I value
so much now and even when I
go back to South Africa now I see that
all the time over there and that's what
the help it's so strong a comedy
explainer we're all you know neighbors
just in and out and it's just it's such
a sense of community and everybody
really knows you I don't know and the
last time I talked to my neighbors you
know when I wasn't complaining about I
don't know when I last had a nice
conversation with them and you know wish
them well and you know they're literally
2 meters away from me so yeah yeah I
really miss that I think of how long
Stella mom but maybe you should go to
Mozambique someday you know you could
like film you can do whole story on a
whole documentary I'm going back to the
mother lung yeah I have visited every
now and then okay yes so I do see that
community and does anything that that
it's n of African in Africa and in the
Latino community it's just that sense of
community and in those like particular
home countries like a Sevilla it's a
neighborhood it's you know it takes a
village to raise a kid so it that's
really acted on in those countries and
America it's more you know distant but
you know I think the difference I was
just about to ask you is there a
language barrier or South Africa or do
you know is it English in terms of just
family
I think someone owning my only regret in
life is that mom proper influence in my
language is Zulu and so my family there
they understand me I guess the speaking
English they speak my name Zulu and we
gotta meet halfway
ok all right I have about Brian Terrence
who doesn't really so I never miss the
moment so I want to say to him and I
can't really write that and I'm like oh
I could just tell you all the cool
things you mean like I can't even tell
them who I am I don't think he knows my
personality because I don't know how to
be articulate that so everyone I say I'm
thinking about I'm actively preparing in
my head before I say it and that really
sucks I think you touched on something
there because I'd love that I'd love if
I'd be able to just fully express myself
to people who I they're my first
memories and they mean so much to me and
I can't fully you know just even if I do
get a cousin
my facebook I don't really know what to
say other than hello because then I
might okay that's really again thighs
that yeah that's really that's really
where like my struggle started really
because just for that language barrier I
think it's the biggest contribution to
that distance but I feel me with with my
extended family because you know our
home languages Portuguese but also you
know there's several languages in
Mozambique so my grandparents they know
they speak a certain language I think
it's it shit's weak and my parents speak
like nine nine languages what they're
good but me I I knew Portuguese my guy
here but we didn't practice it so I'm
gonna blame my parents on that they
could take that we should have been
talking Portuguese all this time because
English was my first language on my dad
son English first then Portuguese so you
know I was good there I was speaking
English all the time in America I was
fine but Portuguese I guess it just
slowly weather the way like I can
understand a lot of it but speaking it's
it's frustrating I think anytime I go
back and visit it's just frustrating
like I understand what you're saying I
try to communicate as I can but you know
I can never have an open dialogue really
you know not being able to eat the
language um I've always wanted to you
know just be fluent again that's still a
goal of mine
don't go of mine my dad just says you
gotta immerse yourself I might just you
know go back and live there for maybe a
year or something like that or or or
Brazil or just somewhere Portugal I just
because I want to travel I want to be
fluent in Portuguese again just so I can
I think I'll be the first step in really
connecting with the majority of my
family members and and yeah just just
overcoming that and yeah but luckily you
know I had visited I do see them and
when I do it's always great so it's
great it's just that maintaining it's
tough yeah
I know it's all these extra layers that
add up when you're when you're abroad
like that and you're always tryna I find
it I feel like I'm always trying to
chase those reason and and connect with
them and its really right to grass I
also want to ask you since you talked
about traveling I mean who knows when
this will all end where where is the
first place on your bucket list or it's
dualists and when flights are back on
and that scares the weakling
oh man I think the first place would be
the trips that I was already had plans
but didn't follow through okay I was
gonna go to Vegas I think like I think I
was gonna go to Vegas and like March it
was all planned out and everything had
the flights ready all my friends already
had the group chat the group chat poppin
then you know that the crisis because
that's where everyone was like a little
more you know hold forward like oh this
is gonna blow over by this time it's not
gonna bad dat dis but clearly it got
worse and worse and the trips got
canceled so Vegas would definitely the
first then I think I was gonna go to
Hawaii and and really yeah I really just
my my bucket list those traveling it's
you know like chill a Australia all
these all these places that are have a
lot of culture I want to absorb as much
culture as I can and these communities
like Portugal and in Brazil and South
Africa although I've been to South
Africa Zimbabwe
no way yeah yeah I've traveled there
with with my family because my uncle
lives in South Africa so it's you know
all these places I just want to I want
to know the world really and I mean
that's that's like one of the goals of
like just as a human or not like you
want to you want to have a great life
you want to create a family but at the
same time I want to know the world
because you know I'm occupying I mean
earth for all this time so I got a no
earth you know
know these areas all right with you I
agree never is the world's been so
accessible to us you know um we
literally have the world in our hands
and that's what I love is well it's
easier for me not being back in Europe
because you can just fly two hours in
your different country and you're trying
something new and I really love that
about how Europe in general but I yeah I
just I feel you know just I feel such an
excitement to see the world experience
things and and I feel Reid that's one of
the things that I am always grateful for
the fact that we try and do that though
you know that the world is not
accessible and we can fly somewhere and
explore something new in just a day even
in Australia was just a day away so I
what I'm gonna do is I'm just gonna
close my eyes and just pick a place man
and I'm just gonna go
clearly you're spontaneous so I love
that for you all right so where we're
coming up in an hour I don't wanna take
up too much more time at the end of my
podcast I have this thing cuz I call I'm
gonna call each of each episode a page
just to beat the room because it's sort
of like a book the book of life and my
guests are different characters and
things of that nature so to justify that
I have a story going throughout dictated
by my guest
it's that game you ever played like I
say a line and then you say a line
continue on that story no but you
basically explained it so I can do that
yeah yeah so basic so um I started off I
said a man walks into a bar and then the
story went on a man walks into a bar and
Dan q he woke up and he walked down
stairs in his pajama pajamas behind his
only bar and served himself a drink and
his and his friend Rick that and his
homeless friend Rick that comes by every
morning then they went out for a walk
and a vortex into the unknown opened up
before them so that's that's where you
get to continue on and you could say
whatever you want then they ran from the
for tax or they stepped in and whatever
this is your part of the story oh wow
is there let's try to keep it up very
few words yeah it's just just a sentence
so just remind you stir then they went
out for a walk and a vortex and sort of
unknown opened up and suddenly they saw
two other figures I love it I love it
with me that's great because you you
still left it open for for things that
happen and suddenly they saw two other
figures okay and I'm going to use
reading and hearing the other pages well
thank you for being a part of the the
podcast there was a dope conversation
exactly as I expected it kinda quick one
kind of quick oh I know
no thanks for having me thanks for
having me I feel this is part of
something special I can't wait to kind
of hear how it goes knowing you I need
to do something in this quarantine so
it's cool to see you did yeah got to got
to
