Natalie is of Jamaican descent and moved with her family to Pwllheli from Birmingham to live when she was 9 years old.
Natalie is now fluent in Welsh, is a wife, and a mother of two boys. Natalie is a supply teacher in West Wales, a regular columnist with the magazine Golwg, and collaborates with the Welsh Government to create a more inclusive curriculum.
Natalie will contribute to the session 'Identities: Welshness', which is a new series of online conversations arranged by Coleg Cymraeg and Bangor University to tackle national identity from a variety of perspectives such as religion, race, gender, and LGBTQ+ in Wales.
The session, ‘Mae yn fy DNA’ (It’s in my DNA), will be broadcast live on 13 October at 18:00 and will be available to watch here (a link will be available from 15 October) after the broadcast.
But in the meantime, let’s get to know Natalie a bit better…
- Describe your upbringing
I had a very Christian childhood, but also one that was full of love for music, food and sports. I was the eldest of 5. - What sort of child were you?
I was very quiet in large groups but would nervously babble in small groups, and I was very fond of reading.
- What did you want to be when you were older?
I wanted to be a teacher, a nurse or a writer.
- Do you have a secret that you still keep from your mum? 😉
I had a go at trying to make smoke rings with a cigarette. I remember worrying that someone had taken a picture and that Mam would see it and think that I smoked.
- What was your first impression of Wales when you moved here as a child?
It was so dark and quiet at night. I was used to going to bed with street lamps, the sound of people talking, music, cars. That was odd at the beginning.
- Was it difficult to settle down in a completely different place?
I was reminded often that I looked different. Especially negative comments about my hair. Many people would ask where I came from and some would stare at me and my family. That had a bad effect on my mental health. But, the beauty of Wales benefitted me. I began to work in Woolworths when I was 14 years old and the staff helped me to gain confidence in speaking Welsh. That helped me to feel a part of the community.
- Who inspires you?
My grandmother, Kate. She’s strong, easy-going and has pushed me to believe in myself. She has celebrated every success with me and has helped me when things weren’t as good. She left Jamaica when she was 21 years old for a new life in Britain.
- Who would you like to be for 24 hours?
Someone who can sing!
- What is your favourite karaoke song?
Pass the Dutchie ...
- What makes you angry?
Selfish people.
- What makes you happy?
Babies, cheese and crisps, and reggae.
- How do feel now that the new curriculum is more inclusive, and what difference will that make?
Teaching children in schools about the history of Black, Asian and minority ethnic people is crucial to teaching them that their race, religion and background are as important as each other. As a child growing up in Wales, I felt very lonely because no-one understood why I looked different. From now on, when children from minority ethnic backgrounds leave school, I really hope that they feel that they belong to society in Wales. Also, the new curriculum gives every child in Wales the opportunity to get a more complete and accurate education.
- What values did your parents pass on to you that you are passing on to your own children today?
To be kind to others and to work hard and to make an effort for the things that you want.
Anyone can join online to watch the conversations and to take part in the discussions. Click here for more information.