As a Black American, living in Europe seems like a dream. Being Black in America can feel like living through an episode of Black Mirror. Getting the scoop on the realities of living as a Black person in other countries can be insightful. Recently, a Black American TikToker went viral for her and her two friends’ thoughts on being Black in Poland while filming the trending “Of Course” video.
Being Black In Poland Part One
This video trend uses sarcasm to make light of the negative experiences people face as members of a particular group. There are “Of course” videos about everything from race and profession to religion and sexuality.
The TikTok video by @ilabaks shows her and her friends walking down a snowy sidewalk, jokingly shedding light on the discrimination they face in Poland. The group started off by listing a few experiences Black people everywhere, in Poland and abroad, can relate to.
“We’re Black in Poland, of course, we have a vitamin D deficiency,” jokes @cardioddity, the Black man in the video. Of course, any Black person living in a place experiencing freezing winters knows what it’s like to crave the sun. The camera pans, and another person quips, “We’re Black in Poland, of course, people are going to mistake us for being Black celebrities.”
At first, the realities of being Black in Poland seem similar to being Black in most places in the world. As the video progresses, however, the experiences of being Black in Poland become more intense. “We’re Black in Poland, of course, we’re going to get chased at night on the regular,” said @cardioddity. To most Black Americans surprise, Poland sounds like it is giving Jim crow era United States.
Being Black In Poland Part Two
Millions of people watched the original video. It became so popular the trio followed up with a part two and used props.
“We’re Black in Poland, of course, we can’t leave our houses on Independence Day,” the video starts.
“We’re Black in Poland, of course, everyone thinks we can’t speak the language,” said @cardioddity as he proceeded to speak fluent Polish.
“We’re Black in Poland, of course, we walk around with pepper spray,” one girl says as she pulls out a black and red pepper spray container.
In this video, the trio seems more comfortable and cheeky. They know the responses they will receive but relish in the joke anyway.
More TikTok users caught on to the joke and played along this time. “Poland was the only country I visited where they followed, stared at, and made slick remarks to me. It was almost like I was at home,” commented a Black American woman named April.
Black in America vs Black in Poland
Although the videos intent was to be light-hearted and funny, some people took it seriously. Commenters echoed with a variety of responses, spanning from other Black Polish people chiming in agreement to many Black Americans advising them to never stay in a place where they experience unfavorable treatment.
The guy in the video, @cardioddity, responded directly to the comments he received via his X platform. He rightfully clapped back at some commenters. He mentioned that he was currently bettering his life through education in Europe. He also said that he was born in the United States and that Black Americans should not be schooling him about Black safety. In a separate post, he explained that he wants to stay in Europe because medical school is more affordable, and he appreciates the ease of traveling to other countries, like Italy and Nigeria.
Statistics on Being Black In Poland
The truth is, anti-Blackness exists globally, and there is no escaping it. However, there are places where it is less prominent and persistent. Poland has a rich history, culture, and friendly hospitality. The country stands out as one of the most culturally and religiously uniform nations in Europe, with 97% of the population identifying as ethnically Polish, according to the Minority Rights Group. However, for Black travelers and residents, the experience can be nuanced and complex.
The European Union’s Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) surveyed people of African descent within the EU. They found that people of African descent face the lowest likelihood of encountering discrimination in Poland. The report, Being Black in the EU, reported only 21% of respondents experienced discrimination within the last five years. Compared to the highest amounts of discrimination found in Germany (77%), Austria (76%), and Finland (66%), Poland does not rank so bad.
@ilabaks and her friend followed up with a video explaining the reason they chose Poland, and to no surprise, it was for their education pursuing medicine.
“ I am here because tuition is cheaper and living here is cheaper than in the US,” said @ilabaks. “ I also feel like I have a better school-life balance compared to the US,” she continued.
“A win is a win. There’s more pros than cons to living here,” she stated.