As the only black girl in my class in primary school, I was always going to stand out. I was a loud-mouthed extrovert, therefore, trying to fit in was already out of the question. To say that moving to Essex was different would be an understatetement as I had previously lived in Waltham Forest, which is known for being one of the most multicultural boroughs in London.

As a young child, I watched a lot of sport on television with my family. From football to tennis to athletics and netball. I saw black athletes like Serena Williams, Pamela Cookey and Christina Ohuruogu excel in their disciplines. Naturally, I wanted to emulate them and become the next successful athlete to represent England. I played both netball at club level in the Essex Metropolitan League and lacrosse at university level. Unfortunately, this is not an article where I get to tell you how I became an elite athlete who is training for the next Olympics. Rather, I gained knowledge through sport, which aided my experience and helped me navigate through life as an Essex-raised black woman.