Omar reflects on childhood struggles with racism in Helsinki

Omar, a 25-year-old with Somali roots, recalls his challenging childhood in Helsinki, where he faced racism from an early age. As a sensitive and temperamental child, Omar struggled with verbal expression during his preschool years. This inability to communicate often led to conflicts with other children. He reflects, “In disputes, I was always seen as the guilty one. No one wanted to understand me.”

In elementary school, the situation worsened. Omar vividly remembers a history teacher who made racist jokes and disparaged certain nationalities, which went unchallenged by classmates, fueling his frustration. The persistent negative treatment diminished Omar’s motivation to learn, leading him to believe he was inferior to others.

He often faced bullying, being teased about his appearance, personality, and family. A particularly painful memory is from first grade when a group of children surrounded him, taunting him, leaving him in tears on the ground.

Despite current efforts in Helsinki’s preschools to combat racism, including training for educators, incidents persist. Professionals acknowledge that racism can be both intentional and unintentional, manifesting as microaggressions in subtle yet harmful ways.

Marianne Tiusanen, director at the Koralli preschool, emphasizes that active anti-racism is integral to their educational philosophy. She encourages open dialogue about experiences of racism and asserts that all children deserve acceptance and respect.

Omar now works in a preschool and is committed to ensuring every child feels valued. He believes that his struggles could have been alleviated with proper support as a child and stresses the importance of educators being conscious of their impact on students.