The Nationality Dashbord Project
It's the question every non-white, immigrant, and/or person with a "foreign sounding" name comes to both expect and dread. Yeah, you said you were from here but I know that's not true.
You like to imagine when you are answering the "where are you from?" question people would just take it for granted you are giving the right answer. I even say "British and Sudanese" in response because I grew up in both places, but saying either of those by themselves would not be wrong.
Yet even with sufficient explanation, people still ask me the inevitable follow up.
No, but where are you really from?
69
People who decided to "correct" me
26
Nationalities guessed to date
5
Average "corrections" per year
Beginning in 2008 I tracked the number of people who insisted - after I had already informed them of my nationality - that I really must be from another country.
The rules were simple:
1) I had to have already repeated my original answer when they asked "No, but where are you really from?"
2) After hearing my repeated answer they had to explicitly insist I must be from x country ("you look like.." or "I thought you were..." don't count, only answers that basically implied I was lying to them or somehow incredibly mistaken).
Okay, but who cares?
When someone insists that what I am telling them is not true, what they are actually saying to me is quite simple:
I don't believe you are one of us, I don't believe you really belong here, and no matter what you say, no matter your documentation, no matter your family connections, no matter how many generations of your relatives have resided here nothing will change my mind
- someone who probably doesn't think they are racist
A very informal review
It's easy to dismiss one person's experience as anecdotal, rather than representative of a trend. While I'm not in a position to produce a nationally representative poll to delve deep into, I can offer a very informal exploration of the issue beyond my own story.
In 2024 I will be inviting people from BAME backgrounds to answer three simple questions:
When meeting new people, how often - if at all - do you get asked some variation of "Where are you really from?"
Thinking about when someone asks you "Where are you really from?" what three words would you use to describe how it makes you feel?
Has this question ever been asked by someone with power or authority over you which limited how you felt you could respond?
I don't pretend that this will be a methodologically robust sample - rather I want to invite others to share their stories and views.
If you want to contribute to this section, please do share your thoughts in the survey.
The Nationality Dashbord Project
For questions, suggestions, or further information you can contact me at rushaahamid@gmail.com
I can also be found on X/Twitter @RushaaHamid