I experienced racism for the first time at 18 in Turkey - Hamamat

Ghanaian model and entrepreneur Hamamat Montia has shared her first hand racial abuse when she was just 18 years old.

The former Miss Malaika queen, in an Instagram post on Friday, May 8, revealed that the incident happened at a Turkish airport when she first landed in the Middle East country for a modelling contract.

She made this revelation when she was commenting on the death of Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old former high school football star who was shot and killed while jogging in the Satilla Shores neighborhood of Brunswick in February.

According to Hamamat, she was denied support when she arrived at the airport because she didn’t speak their language.

She said she had to carry her heavy baggage, adding that ‘I felt bad, it was a feeling I had never felt before - I didn’t know how to express my emotions’.

She wrote: “As an AFRICAN the first time I ever experienced racism was when I was 18 years old.

"I arrived in Turkey for a modelling contract and at the airport the baggage boys where helping everyone with their language but me - I thought they didn’t see my bags so I went to them to tell them and all they did was stare at me - I was confused and after a while of standing I had to try and carry my heavy bags by myself ."

"I felt bad, it was a feeling I had never felt before - I didn’t know how to express my emotions and this was the first of many experiences"

"I ended up leaving my contract before it ended because i missed the AFRICAN feeling, the feeling of home , the feeling of #KingsandQueens."

"I can never know how it feels to be hated everyday just for my skin color- for this reason I never wanted to live anywhere else but #Africa."

"I can’t say sorry enough. I can only wish that you visit home soon because you are #KingsandQueens at home. Rest in power #king #ahmaudaubrey”

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Hi there #KingsandQueens: : : As an AFRICAN the first time I ever experienced racism was when I was 18years old . I arrived in turkey for a modeling contract and at the airport the baggage boys where helping everyone with their language but me - I thought they didn’t see my bags so I went to them to tell them and all they did was stare ????at me - I was confused and after a while of standing I had to try and curry my heavy bags by myself . I felt bad , it was a feeling I had never felt before - I didn’t know how to express my emotions and This was the first of many experiences - I ended up leaving my contract before it ended because i missed the AFRICAN feeling, the feeling of home , the feeling of #KingsandQueens : : : I can never know how it feels to be hated everyday just for my skin color- for this reason I never wanted to live anywhere else but #Africa . : I can’t say sorry enough I can only wish that you visit home soon because you are #KingsandQueens at home . Rest in power #king #ahmaudaubrey #justiceforahmaud #justiceaudrey : Visit home soon Click HAMAMAT.com for more #hamamat #africa #sheabutter #worldwide #explorepage #explore

A post shared by H A M A M A T (@iamhamamat) on May 8, 2020 at 4:37am PDT