Hi, this is me Lyna

I am Algerian-French. Growing up with an identity that has increasingly been targeted by Western media (with an emphasis on French ones) has forced me to hide or repress parts of who I am. I have faced different forms of discrimination in professional settings, at school, and in so-called friend groups, because of my Algerian nationality and origin, as well as my religion. At the same time, because I was raised in France, I have faced distance from my own people. Existing between two worlds has never been simple. This position is shared by friends who navigate between two cultures and are trying to create their own identity and story.

After educating myself and embracing who I am, I can say that today I am proud to say that I am also Algerian. I am proud to belong to Amazigh culture, a culture that has been reduced to the lazy claim that it’s “similar to being Arab,” which is not. Growing up, I learned my history through colonial lenses. I was shamed for being who I am, and add to that being Muslim, people used (and still today) far-right labels that deny my identity, my humanity. Today it is something that I refuse to accept.

Voices in Mosaic was conceived as a space where we can speak and share ourselves in our own words. A space free from distortion, and where we reclaim our narratives, histories, and our voices in our own terms! Because racism is real, discrimination is real, and if you have never experienced it, the least you can do is to listen to us!

So welcome to Voices in Mosaic!

–  Lyna