I met my @russellelcockofficial in 2018 while working at the United Nations in Barbados. My best friend in primary school was also Russell's close family friend, and she made the introduction. Because a close friend connected us, the feeling of "trust" already existed. In many ways, it was our shared upbringings and values that connected us.
Our relationship wasn't easy at first, but living in Barbados made things slightly more manageable. Russell is Black of Barbadian/Jamaican heritage, and I'm of East Indian Heritage (Muslim). People weren't outwardly racist to us when out in public, but we still received stares and awkward questions. The community here is small, and there's an assumption that you will marry someone of your race.
We talked for around seven months before Russell proposed to me, and in 2019, we were married despite many people telling us that our relationship wouldn't work. Even though I founded the @baml_bb, people from my community thought I was a "wild girl" for falling in love with a Black man. On Russell's side, his family assumed that he had been manipulated to marry me.
Russell and I always joke about how he never thought I'd want to be friends with him, let alone get married because I was Muslim and Indian. He was under the assumption that Indian girls don't marry Black guys. Thankfully, neither of us allowed ourselves to be constrained by society's pressures. It’s important to speak out about these experiences because it’s only then that we can break down barriers to understanding and find a shared love for each other. Thank you for spreading so much love and positivity with your page. Seeing other couples like us is so heartwarming.
📖: @firhaana