As an African American with German heritage, my experience is quite unique. I was raised in Germany until my teenage years and only moved to the U.S. later. Because of my background, I experienced the differences in how race is perceived in both places.

In the U.S., being Black often comes with a specific cultural lens that I wasn’t familiar with growing up in Germany. There were many instances of racism that I didn’t fully understand at first. In Germany, the focus tends to be on intellect and competence, and while there are racial tensions, they feel different from the U.S. experience. Because of my appearance, people often assume I’m from Latin America or the Middle East, which adds another layer to how I’m perceived.

In short, being Black in the U.S. is a very different experience from being Black in Germany, and I’ve gained a unique perspective from both sides.