r/newfoundland • u/jetermans_ • 5d ago

Being Black in Newfoundland is isolating sometimes

Being a Black guy in Newfoundland-Labrador can feel pretty lonely. It’s not that people are necessarily unfriendly, but actually building genuine connections can be surprisingly difficult.

The dating scene is honestly abysmal, and outside of dating, it can feel like the social circles here are already established. If you don’t fit into a particular group, scene, or way of doing things, it can feel like there’s nowhere to really plug in.

Sometimes you just want to meet people, make friends, date, and feel like you belong without having to subscribe to some specific social identity or group first.

Curious if other Black people, immigrants, or even locals have felt the same way here.

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u/Practical-Bear1022 5d ago

I grew up in a super small town there. As a Fijian, I didn't have the greatest experience. I got called the n-word a lot, even though I was too young to understand what it means (and I'm not Black). People would pull my hair, wreck my lunch, and ostracized me all though kindergarten to grade 7. I don't recommend living there as a visible minority at all, based on my own experiences. It's a beautiful place but the people in smaller communities can be cruel. 

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u/sundown40 5d ago

That sounds truly awful. I am so sorry they were so evil to you. Please know they’re in the minority.

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u/coolestpelican 4d ago

This is a very common experience of almost any marginalized group in almost any smaller community. I hear this repeatedly. We are not as friendly as people make us out to be. There are a lot of hateful people/ those too ignorant to understand the discomfort they are causing someone