Racism In Switzerland, The Summer I Became "Black". - SRF DOK

Summer 2020 was heated in many ways, in the middle of an ongoing pandemic and a global reflection on the ongoing impact of structural and institutional racism on racialised persons galvanizing the Black Lives Matter movement - Benin/Swiss Actress and SRF News Caster, Angélique Beldner was undergoing her own personal journey resulting in the documentary Racism in Switzerland :The summer I became "Black” by SRF Dok.

Beldner who was raised by her single Swiss Mother and Great Aunt did not want to make the colour of her skin or the topic of racism the defining feature of her identity. The documentary follows Angélique as she reflects on her childhood in Bern, along with conversations with family, including her Beninese father.

The documentary does well in examining the development of self in exploring varied experiences of Angélique from her young years in Bern through to the everyday encounters in which she is usually the lone Person of Color. There are poignant moments on Beldner’s part as she discusses the impact of overt and covert racism, what it means to be Black and Swiss.

Watching the documentary as a parents of mixed children, it was clear that for all the love in the world the greatest gift to be given to our children is the space to explore and reflect on what it means for them to be People of Colour in Switzerland, along with being open to the fact that their experiences might not entirely mirror ours and that they have every right to challenge that.

To watch the documentary please click on link