Igiaba Scego

Author, Rome

«My function as a bridge between cultures began then when I returned to Rome from Somalia and told my classmates about Africa. I understood from then, my purpose in life : a bridge of cultures».

Tell me about a memory that was important in the path of the successful writer you are today.

Success is a strange word for me. I see myself as a bridge, a mediator, a collector of stories and feelings. The strongest memory was when I first saw Somalia. I was seven years old and I was a daughter of Somalians, but born in Italy. Somalia has given me so much energy. I realized then, as a little girl, that I belonged to more worlds, more cultures. My function as a “bridge” began then, when I then returned to Rome and told my classmates about Africa I understood my purpose in life: a bridge [ between cultures ]. They were infatuated with stereotypes and hearing my stories I think was good for me and them. We've thrown a bridge between us.

What is your definition of success?

Ah, I kind of anticipated the answer in a way. I have to say, it's not a word that makes me comfortable. Because for me, a female, black writer in Italy the dimension is always that of struggle. To bring out one's voice when the voice of the mainstream wants to stifle it. In a mainstream where especially the voices of women, black or non-black, are always precarious. More than a successful life, I made a lifetime of sacrifice. So I can't define it. Then what I look for in writing is not so much success, of course I want to be read and, like all of us who write, a little loved, but I want more than anything else to be useful to others. The real success is the hidden one in my opinion, when you can make beautiful things happen.

What would you say to yourself when you were 13?

"You did good," I'd say. "You were right to study so much." As a teenager, I read a monstrous amount of things. And every now and then I still live on the rent of the work that the little nerd who was at 13.

What changes do you hope to see in your industry in Italy in the next 5-10 years?

I would like to see a truly transcultural Italy starting from my sector: publishing. Not just more writers and writers of various origins. But also people who work in the publishing machine with different origins. And then more transculturality also in politics, in fashion, in business, in school, in the academy, driving trains, buses, in the art world and so on. I just hope that in 10 years' time there will be citizenship reform for the children of foreigners. It's been too long.