Cameron Interview

C A M E R O N 

                  O K A I 

This is the second instalment of the interviews I'm conducting with people in Bath. This interview is featuring the lovely Cameron Okai. Enjoy! 

  

 So, tell me more about yourself and how you came to live in Bath? 

  

I am 23, I graduated from Bath Spa in 2018 with a BA Hons in Acting. I came to Bath for the course and didn’t want to move back home, as I felt that I would limit myself in terms of my career and personal growth. 

Is Bath a city you feel particularly fond of? Do you think it’s a good place to live? 

Especially for a young person or student? 

  

I like the way Bath feels, in terms of nature and structure. I have many fond memories from when I was a student and after. It is a good place to live, can be expensive and does lack in a few areas, but is a good place as a whole. 

  

How do you feel about tourism in Bath? Does it annoy you or do you feel 

positively about it? 

  

I like the tourism. I have had lovely conversations and great moments with people who visit Bath. I think to hate tourism and tourists, is ignorant, especially as the city benefits in many ways, particularly financially, from it. 

  

What do you think of the culture, arts, music etc within Bath? Is it varied or interesting enough? Do you think it’s still an old-fashioned scene? 

  

Bath has a lot of respect for the arts. There are many different groups practising and displaying different art forms and cultures. I still think it has a long way to go. I have yet to go a month in Bath without someone being either racist or make an ignorant comment towards or about myself. 

  

I know you’re a part of the African- Caribbean society at Bath Spa. How does this 

affect living in Bath? Do you feel the city is still overly white and uncultured? Do you 

think the experience of living in Bath as a person of colour is different than that of a 

white person? 

  

I am not entirely a member of the society. I was the racial equality rep for the Uni for 2 years. The second, only because they could not find anyone to take the role, or had not advertised it to the student populous. After speaking about my experience as a Black student, the conversation about the society I was denied of setting up, began to properly develop. I have been included in a few discussions since my graduation but feel that it is no longer my place to be actively involved, as it is a little different from the society I had planned. 

 I feel that to say that Bath is “overly white” is an ignorant comment in itself. We are in a predominantly White country, to say that it is “overly white” we be the same as going to Japan and saying that it is overly Asian. I do however feel that the education or knowledge, in regards to racial relations is lacking to a painful degree. So much so that thinking of a response to this question has drudged up many incidents I have experienced in Bath, leaving a feeling of sadness and disappointment in the state of Baths diversity and the attitudes towards people or other ethnic backgrounds, particularly BAME. 

 I do feel that being a person of colour is different than that of a white person. I am often the only member of my ethnicity in the room and am expected to be a representation of my entire culture, which is an issue in itself as I am heavily mixed despite looking the way I do. I am also put into difficult situations regularly, for example; being pointed at in a club when the N word is said in a song, constantly being told that I look like various black athletes and celebrities that bear no resemblance to each other or myself, people using stereotypes to try and relate to me despite not knowing the environment I was raised in, and people constantly assuming I am a Rastafarian Jamaican due to my hair, which often leads to people trying to buy drugs off me. The last incident nearly got me arrested. When these situations occur regularly it has an impact, so I do feel my experience and University experience was affected by this. 

 Do you feel it’s important for tourists/ people visiting Bath to experience the smaller 

businesses and organisations that are less well known as well as the larger more 

mainstream attractions? In what way do you think this would enrich a tourist 

experience? 

 Yes, I very much do. During my fresher’s week, I found some unique independent places for myself and friends to visit. This was to better understand Bath and become familiar with places that we may end up visiting in the future. It was very successful and I still visit places like The Courtyard Café to this day. 

 I think that Tourists would benefit as well, as they are seeing and experiencing places that they would otherwise not. By going to a non-independent chain like Be At One they are limiting themselves, as they can have that experience in many other towns and cities. 

  

What organisations or places within Bath do you wish more people knew about? 

What are your favourite spots around the city and how did you find them? 

  The previously mentioned Courtyard Café is a great quiet and peaceful place. It is independently run and everything is made fresh. Most of the baked goods are vegan too, although you wouldn’t notice. The Opium Bar is also a great find if you enjoy cocktails, although I may be a little biased as I worked there throughout Uni and a little after. Most of these places you can find by a simple google search, but it can be best to get lost in town or simply ask someone. 

  

Lastly do you feel in any way that you are an underrepresented voice in Bath? Are 

there any things you’re working on or doing that you would want to platform and bring light to? 

  

I feel that the BAME experience is definitely underrepresented due to the fact that places with a heavier multicultural presence and influence, face less incidents of racism. I am currently, in quarantine working on a few scripts, planning an audio series and web series, which filming has been postponed due to Covid-19. In the meantime, myself and some friends/ creative partner are working on a podcast called the Aww Yeah? podcast. 

  

 Thank you very much for asking these questions, and I wish you all the best with this 

and future endeavours. 

  

Big thanks to Cameron for this interview! A super insightful and considered look into life in Bath from a student's perspective.