On this prairie land that comes alive every spring with the blooming of crocuses and Buffalo beans, I’m surrounded by my white family members: my mother, half-brother, grandparents, distant relatives. They never questioned their identity and, in the mind of a child who knew nothing else, I also saw myself as white, just with brown skin. I felt as if they were looking at me, saying, "Who is this brown boy with his white family?" It left me not only confused about that Black child in the mirror but also scared of him. For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of.

Source: CBC News February 22, 2026 21:42 UTC