Ask a New Yorker: What’s your name, and what are you up to today?
Camilla: I’m just killing time. I have about two hours before a dentist appointment. This is one of my favorite cafes, 71 Irving, Gramercy Park.
Ask a New Yorker: It sounds as though you’re not a native New Yorker. Where are you from?
Camilla: I’m Ugandan. I’m African but I’ve been everywhere.
Ask a New Yorker: What allows you to travel so much?
Camilla: First of all my parents, they traveled and I wound up being in a job where I travel.
Ask a New Yorker: And your line of work?
Camilla: I’m a model, kind of sort of. I’m trying to get out of it.
Ask a New Yorker: So what would your next career move be?
Camilla: Perhaps own my own beauty line, or maybe work in T.V.
Ask a New Yorker: What do you parents do?
Camilla: My mother was a diplomat.
Ask a New Yorker: I don’t know a whole lot about Uganda or Africa, for that matter, besides what I’ve read, and recently I watched the movie The Last King of Scotland. Eddie Amin was a real nutcase. Forest Whitaker nailed that role. I certainly hope you were not living there during his regime?
Camilla: No, I was not there, but I was there for the guy that took over after him, Abuta. People don’t know this but he killed twice as many people in half the time. So obviously I’ve experienced dictatorship and war. I can’t imagine what people thought when he was there. Abuta was more of an intellectual and he did really good PR to the western world so they didn’t write as many things about him. Amin was illiterate. The joke of the time. The western world can say this about Africa, they can say that, but Africa is just really different. We have tribes, very tribal. There is an expression whenever you’re there and something happens which is not the norm in the western world people say, T.I.A. which says, ‘This is Africa’. I think the problem started with colonization. The way Africa was democratized was very unstrategic. The only hope I see for Africa as a continent is if we get rid of countries and become one people. One country has so much and the country next door has nothing. If you’re sitting next to a guy who has tons of food, what are you going to do? People don’t want to know the whole story. People need to dig more thoroughly. When tourists come in there double decker buses and wave, we think, come out of the bus then you will know us. New Yorkers are like a tribe themselves. It doesn’t matter what color they are. A New Yorker is a certain kind of person. One thing for sure, do not piss a New Yorker off. I love being here.
Ask a New Yorker: What tribe are you from?
Camilla: I’m Muhororo and Mukiga.
Ask a New Yorker: So was The Last King of Scotland an accurate portrayal of the time when Amin was in power?
Camilla: I think it was the first movie about Africa that I’ve watched in my time that actually portrays the truth. Hollywood finally got Africa, not ridiculing us. We’re just the same as the people here we just happen not to have as much.
Ask a New Yorker: I will say you’re not the stereotypical model by any means.
Camilla: I love fashion but there are more important things. Most important are the people that I’ve met. It’s just being able to meet some girl that just came from Siberia yesterday. Often times they’re very young and come from poor families, which makes you kind of wise. Most models are from the third world and are not from Greenwich, Connecticut, they’re not from Beverly Hills. Usually they’re from Croatia, the Czech Republic, Brazil, Africa. Some of these girls are supporting their families back home.
Ask a New Yorker: What do you think of NYC?
Camilla: The city itself is not really pretty. It has almost an ugly prettiness. It’s not a beautiful city, but over all is beautiful. The people are interesting—sure, some are rude but they’re real. If you ask a question, New Yorkers are willing to help. It’s the only city where they return your wallet. I lost my wallet in a cab and somebody called my work and sent it to me. New Yorkers are quick and smart. They’re not taking forever to do things. You have to be in a certain mind frame to live here. There is so much to do here. Just get up and go do it. You can’t sit at home and wait.
Ask a New Yorker: Last question. Have you ever been to Coney Island?
Camilla: Yes, and it was fun, and I rode the Cyclone. The thing about it is that Coney Island is not fabulous. But it’s at the end of the F train how superb is that? And at the end of the day when you lay down on the beach and you look up it’s the same sky.
Ask a New Yorker: OK, I have one more question actually. What’s up with the Dominicans and hair salons?
Camilla: First of all you must know there is one thing about black women; you don’t mess with our hair. That’s the bottom line. Hair is a priority. A lot of black women all over the world get their hair straightened. It’s easier to manage. People from Dominican Republic are known for doing the best blowing out. They blow your hair so straight. It’s called bone straight. They are the professionals. Africans are known for braiding on 125th street, and Dominicans for blowing.
Ask a New Yorker: Fantastic. Thank you so much for your time.
