Woman making a difference after racism as a child

Awoman who founded an antiracism charity in Scotland has described the discrimination she faced while growing up in Perth.

Khaleda Noon, who set up Intercultural Youth Scotland, spent a period living in the Fair City as a child and has said she always felt like she stood out as the “only brown child” in her local area.

While her mother is originally from Perth, Khaleda’s father is from Kuwait, having come to Scotland to become a pilot at Scone Aerodrome in the 1970s.

Khaleda’s dad left the family when she was one, which she says led to a lack of identity and an inability to understand part of her heritage.

Her mum also suffered from mental health issues and spent time in the

Murthly Asylum, which saw Khaleda and her siblings moved into care.

She explained: “I didn’t know my father, don’t know him, and I never got the opportunity to understand my Arabic culture, faith or identity.

“My white mum faced so many challenges. People treated her badly because she had a brown kid and no father.

“She was already vulnerable and, after my dad left, she was sent to the Murthly Asylum, a psychiatric hospital.

“I had to go into care for a while and returned to her together with my older sister and big brother.”

Khaleda was always made to feel different growing up and says she suffered racism every day, not only from other children but also adults.

“I was the only brown one,” she said.

“I would like to tell you that it was all great, no problem here, but that is far from the truth.

“And while others made their feelings about me clear, even I hated the colour of my own skin because of the racism I suffered every day as a child from other children, but mostly from adults.

“I was different and the result was that I hated my colour, my name, my thick eyebrows, black hair. My identity was Scottish, but I was not allowed or accepted to be Scottish.”

Her experiences growing up inspired Khaleda to try to make a difference.

It led to the formation of Intercultural Youth Scotland, a social impact and justice charity which aims to give people from different backgrounds an opportunity to have their voices heard.

Despite having faced significant challenges, Khaleda has built the charity over the past two years and raised more than £1 million for BAME young people across the country.

She said: “I know that the charity that I founded two years ago gives hope to thousands of young people who may have nothing. And I am proud.

“I have created some ground-breaking work, created 22 paid positions within the charity and raised more than a million pounds for young people of colour.

“I influence Scottish Government and meet with politicians.

“My biggest achievement is that I have designed and delivered a national charity that will nurture future generations of young people of colour to continue social change and take anti-racist practice forward.”

IDENTITY: Khaleda Noon, who suffered discrimination while growing up, went on to found an anti-racism charity.