Recently a visitor to Buckingham Palace was interrogated about her origins by a lady-in-waiting.
I was outraged by the exchange between Sista Space founder Ngozi Fulani and Lady Susan Hussey. Here is part of it:
Q: Where do you come from?
A: Here, the UK.
Q: No, but what nationality are you?
A: I am born here and am British.
Q: No, but where do you really come from, where do your people come from?
Then I listened to talkback radio callers defending Lady Hussey. It’s genuine curiosity, said some. Look at what she (Fulani) was wearing! Of course, you want to know where she’s from. It’s just showing interest. And I understood that such ‘othering’ is sadly all too ordinary.
Isn’t it time we stopped it?
Because each time we ask the question, we point out our differences. Let’s instead start looking for what we have in common.
Actor and activist Riz Ahmed helps us understand why in this clip.