The theme for Black History Month (BHM) this year is “Proud to be…”. This year, black and brown people across the UK are being encouraged to share different traits about themselves that they’re proud of in an effort to add a bit of a personal touch to BHM whilst also celebrating the diverse heritage and culture of black and brown people in the UK.

In line with this year’s theme, I thought it would be fitting to share a few things about myself that I am proud of/proud to be. In doing so, I hope to inspire other black and brown people to do the same (either publicly or privately, whichever’s easier for you :))

I am…

• Proud to be black
• Proud to be Zimbabwean
• Proud to be a part of the conversation
• Proud to be me

It feels weird to publicly express that I’m proud to be black. A lot of people are probably thinking “Well Panashe, we’d assume that goes without saying”, but honestly, I don’t think that’s necessarily true. Growing up black is quite complex – there have been numerous points in my life where I’ve questioned my “blackness”. And many-a-time where I’ve been made to feel as though being black makes me a lesser person.

“Don’t get emotional, you’ll just be labelled that angry black man.” “Hmmm, maybe don’t do that/say that, you’ll be looked at weirdly.” These are just a couple of thoughts that regularly pop into my head during interactions with people. “Conformity is key, and any step away from the status quo is a step towards ostracisation.” I read this in a blog post by Kendra Summers and it really resonated with me.

Being Zimbabwean adds yet another layer of complexity to being black and this really only became apparent to me when I moved to the UK. Now, even among other black people (mainly Black British people), I occasionally feel a little out of place. I love being Zimbabwean – I love our food, I love our languages, I love our traditions. But there have been moments where I’ve been made to feel ashamed of being Zimbabwean, moments I would rather not bring up for fear of getting into conversations marred by prejudice and based on absurd stereotypes.

Zimbabwe is the place I call home – growing up there played a big role in moulding me into the person I am today and I’m proud to say that! That sense of pride and willingness to share where I’m from has mainly come as a result of having conversations with people who have had similar experiences. Although the cause of discrimination may be different and everyone’s experiences are unique, often I can empathise with that feeling of self-doubt/anger/confusion/sadness that comes through during conversations with other people. Hearing about and trying to understand other peoples’ experiences has had a profound effect on me – not only has it allowed me to view life from a different perspective, but it’s also made it easier to embrace who I am.

All of the things above are a big part of who I am and I am proud to say that out loud – I am a black man, proud of where I’m from, proud of the way I speak, proud to be me!