Black in Spain: Is there such a thing as passport privilege?

Being a Black woman means you don’t have the luxury to move to a new country carelessly. The truth is, one of my main concerns when moving to Barcelona was how it’d be like to live in Spain as a Black woman. Would people treat me differently? Would I be accepted? 

I know for a fact that many Black and Brown people travelling or moving abroad are often faced with similar concerns.

One thing I hadn’t considered though is that I could ever fall under the “privileged” category. I know the words Black and privilege sound contradictory, but hear me out. 

What is Black or Passport privilege?

Black or passport privilege is an advantage that is unearned, exclusive, and socially conferred. Whereas white privilege is deep-seated power irrespective of income, class, and effort. So in my case, my Black privilege was granted to me thanks to my European passport, and the social status my corporate job afforded me. 

Is there such a thing as Black privilege?

If you had asked me this question a few years ago, my answer would have been a straight “no”. However, my experience living in Spain so far has shown me otherwise. Though as a non-racially ambiguous, dark skin woman, there’s no hiding away from my origins, once I’ve passed the initial “background check” Spanish people tend to find me more “acceptable”, for lack of a better word. 

However, I am well aware that my experience as a Black woman living in Spain isn’t the “norm”. Having spoken with many other Black women from other Western countries living in Spain, we’ve all come to the same conclusions: had we come straight from Africa our experiences would have been very different. 

Also read: Black in Spain for more stories from Black women living in Spain

African expat vs. immigrant: what’s the difference?

Though I often use the words expat and immigrant interchangeably, I am well aware of the different connotations of these two words. 

The treatment towards Africans is very different from English or even French speaking people of African decent. 

I recently watched a Spanish documentary called “Salvados” that talked about racism in Spain, and the subtle differences between racism and classism. This really resonated with me. In my opinion, these two things go hand in hand, and should be addressed when talking about race.

At the end of the day, even though economic status doesn’t make Black people immune to racism, it definitely helps navigate through life easier.

In my case, at least, I know these advantages have helped me. I´d be lying if I said otherwise. Though my experience as a Black woman has been positive, it’s by no means representative of the “Black experience.” 

Ultimately, on a personal level, moving to Spain has allowed me to be my most authentic self and embrace my blackness. Of course, there’s still the emotional burden that at times comes with being the only Black woman in the room, but the joy I get everyday from living in a place where I feel safe and at peace makes it all worthwhile.

So what is it like to be Black in Spain?

The answer is, it depends. I know, what a cop-out answer! It´s true though. So if you are reading this, and are about to move to Spain, just remember that all experiences are different. But regardless of the colour of your skin, I’d strongly recommend you go there with an open mind. Always expect the best, and prepare for the worst, you might be surprised!