[N.B.: The following is part of “Voices”, a series of online interviews regularly conducted by Urbanmozaik, an antiracist ezine based in the United States. This interview was conducted in late 1999.]
Age: 57
Occupation: Simultaneous interpreter/writer
Birthplace: Mexico City, Mexico
Residence: Montreal, Canada.
Mother's birthplace: Brussels, Belgium
Maternal grandfather: (?) France
Maternal grandmother: (?) Belgium
Father's birthplace: Wardha, India.
Paternal grandfather: (?) India
Paternal grandmother: (?) India
Do you feel that new immigrants to North America should assimilate into the mainstream?
No. The word assimilation is anathema to me. However, new immigrants should be part of the consensus-setting process based on human rights, that defines what mainstream is. The Ganges is a very powerful river fed form many different sources, but its waters end up in the vast ocean of life.
Would your parents object to your dating or marrying a person who was a different race than you?
They are no longer with me, but how could they have objected, having been so color blind themselves? My father contributed the dark coffee and my mother the white milk of the cafe-au-lait skin that clothes my body which is like any other body.
Do you think that children of racially mixed parents have an advantage or disadvantage growing up in today's society?
For starters, "race" is a construct invented by European anthropologists to justify their subjugation of other nations. But given that there are human groups with clusters of physical, albeit not biological markers, (since no single trait, including blood-type, eye and skin colour or hair shape is the monopoly of a single "race") I would say the more variety the merrier! My own daughters, who have a mixture of French, Belgian, Indian, Norwegian, Mayan and Spanish ancestors, once asked me: what does that make us? My answer: Very pretty and pretty special!
What do you think of signs on businesses that don't have any English on them?
A delight for nationalist Quebecers! Jokes aside, I welcome signs in different languages, but courtesy is the better part of valor and English in a country where English is the majority language, should not be forgotten. Besides, multilingual signs create jobs for translators like myself.
Have you ever been discriminated against because of your race or the color of your skin? Can you tell us about it?
Yes, indeed! I was discriminated by a Black literary magazine in Montreal. When I mailed them a submission on Afro-American women writers, the whole editorial board replied that they were delighted with my article and would love to publish it. Two days after I met one of the members of the board at a party, I received a call from the main editor telling me my article was no good and they couldn't publish it. Later on, I found out it was because I was not of African origin. The experience was repeated with another Black community newspaper. My article was finally published by "The New Canadian Review", which, as the name implies, welcomes contributions from new Canadians regardless of their origin.
What is the most unusual thing you've ever eaten? And where were you when you ate it?
Live ants, and I was in the middle of the Amazon jungle in Ecuador.
What is your favorite "ethnic food"?
Tortillas, otherwise knows as chapattis, or roti or pita or nan or flat bread or plain "wraps" as labeled by the fast food industry.
Where do you live and where have you travelled where the culture was the most different from your own?
I live in Montreal, and I've travelled to more than 40 countries, including China, Russia, Egypt, India, Latin America and Europe and I've always felt at home. The only place where I haven't, is New Haven, Ct., where we lived for nine months and in spite of my (then) American husband, I was never made to feel welcome. Sad, but true.
Do you feel that you are in touch with your culture of origin?
Yes, indeed! I make sure to keep in touch with the colourful joy of the Mexican landscape, the depths of the Indian psyche and the taste of Belgian beer and chocolates.
Have you ever travelled back to your homeland(s) of your ancestors?
Yes, I've been lucky enough to have lived in India from the ages of 7 to 9 and 14 to 23. I've also visited it more than fifteen times, since my sister and other relatives live there. I've passed through Belgium several times, and met an uncle when I was little, but unfortunately I do not know my mother's few surviving relatives.
What percentage of your friends are able to speak a language other than English?
Having multilingual friends is the norm for me, especially since I live in a multicultural city like Montreal, I'm an interpreter and I work in a UN agency.
In brief, describe your idea of a perfect world.
A perfect world is one in which humans recognise that they are but a tiny part of the biodiversity that makes nature such a wondrous thing; a world in which humanity would not be a predator species, engaged in gender, racial, social, economic and religious wars, but a nurturing species aware of its unique responsibility in the larger scheme of things. It is said that insects and humans are the only two species that are multiplying instead of declining. But there is a vast difference: insects put community before self, humans don't always live up to this ideal.
Do you ever wish that you were of another race?
Yes, indeed! I wish I were an angel. Otherwise, I am quite content just simply being human.
Do you feel uncomfortable if you are a minority in a room full of people who are of one race?
Only once, when I was in a room full of male executives and I was the only woman.
Are you physically attracted to people of a different race? If so, why do you think you are?
Yes, I am attracted to males, being of the female race. I had dreamed of having children of different shapes and colors, which would have required different husbands. Unfortunately, I only had one husband and two children. Fortunately, my girls embody the beauty of the whole human race.
Did you enjoy responding to this questionnaire?
Very much, but as you can see, I had a lot of trouble with the concept of "race" because I just can't relate to it. But in a loose sense, I can understand race as something in whose name people are discriminated.