I can relate to your words. For me, it has been a long journey. I returned to England at the age of 13, having spent my formative years on the island of St. Lucia. Looking back, I was so naive about race and racism. Initially, I could not understand the hurt and despair felt by those people of colour who had spent most of their lives in England. However, it did not take long for me to experience why they felt that way.

Today, I see a new generation of migrants thinking and behaving the same way I did during those early days upon my return. I hear them saying why can't these black achieve? They have the opportunities as everyone else. These are usually the people of colour bought up in shielded environments. They typically grow up in a network where their religious community protects them from the challenges of the outside world. They create a community around their faith which supports them. In this closed network, they manage to excel at school. However, when released into the outside world, they show very little empathy to other people of colour and, in not doing so, become part of the racist narrative. Here, look at them; I have succeeded. Why can't you? Your hurt has more to do with you rather than us. One can argue they use God as a shield to protect them from the ravages of racism. In believing that God is a higher power than man, the actions of the racist are of lesser significance. They leave everything to God because, ultimately, he is the judge of us all.

Further, I never understood the complex dynamics of colourism. Many of those who migrated from the Caribbean and Africa came from privileged black grounds. They were usually the people of colour with lighter skin complexions or those who worked in government positions. These people were some of the most ardent supporters of imperialism and would deny their experiences of racism. They lived cognitive dissonance lives. What am I trying to say? The colour of one's skin does not define racism. Instead, one can argue it has to do with knowledge and power. Who possesses it and who does not. Who chooses to seek knowledge and their ability to evaluate information critically. Who controls information and create the narrative around that information.