In My Skin: An Intimate And Provocative Depiction Of The Illness Of Colorism Within The Black Family
Posted by David Adams on December 26th, 2020
The phrase “black lives matter” is increasingly becoming a rallying cry for justice across the globe as society has placed a microscope on the institution of policing, in the wake of the killings of unarmed black people at the hands of police. Yet, some of the very same communities of color who have emerged as victims of a bloody and heavy handed police culture, are facing serious issues of violence, brutality, and a lack of value for human life that continues to persist within black communities throughout the world.
That being said, there are those who will readily claim that the violence within black communities originated from racism that was born out of American slavery, and that the abuses of white America for centuries is the very catalyst of the on going African American self inflicted genocide. While there is no denying that systemic racism exist in this country, there are a seperate volume of social struggles within the black community that largely stems from “colorism,” not racism.
To understand or even graspe the very concept of how colorism impacts the black family, we must first look at the very primitive and fundamental traits of the human family as a whole. We are visual beings and a volume of our thought processes are formulated upon what we view, and the varying degrees of hues within the human race has created a phenomenon of prejudice towards each other based on color. In America dark skin color is demonized and light skin gets the prize.
Its a sickening practice that has divided the human family since the beginning of time, and it even breaks down into various sub cultures, regardless of the ethnic group, colorism is in fact an illness that permeates humanity and despite the racism black people face in America, its impact within the black community remains the foremost destructive trait of black people, as demonstrated by the often ignored culture of black on black violence.
Therefore, this opinion editorial (OpEd) series “In My Skin” is about my intimate and provocative encounters with “colorism” while growing up in poverty, living, and working in America as a light skinned black man with hazel green eyes. My depiction nor my words won’t be welcoming, but rather a raw honest, and perhaps provocative glimpse of my personal journey and struggles over the years. I thank you all in advance for your indulgence.
An Introduction To A Continuing Blog Series…
I’m David Adams
The phrase “black lives matter” is increasingly becoming a rallying cry for justice across the globe as society has placed a microscope on the institution of policing, in the wake of the killings of unarmed black people at the hands of police. Yet, some of the very same communities of color who have emerged as victims of a bloody and heavy handed police culture, are facing serious issues of violence, brutality, and a lack of value for human life that continues to persist within black communities throughout the world.
That being said, there are those who will readily claim that the violence within black communities originated from racism that was born out of American slavery, and that the abuses of white America for centuries is the very catalyst of the on going African American self inflicted genocide. While there is no denying that systemic racism exist in this country, there are a seperate volume of social struggles within the black community that largely stems from “colorism,” not racism.
To understand or even graspe the very concept of how colorism impacts the black family, we must first look at the very primitive and fundamental traits of the human family as a whole. We are visual beings and a volume of our thought processes are formulated upon what we view, and the varying degrees of hues within the human race has created a phenomenon of prejudice towards each other based on color. In America dark skin color is demonized and light skin gets the prize.
Its a sickening practice that has divided the human family since the beginning of time, and it even breaks down into various sub cultures, regardless of the ethnic group, colorism is in fact an illness that permeates humanity and despite the racism black people face in America, its impact within the black community remains the foremost destructive trait of black people, as demonstrated by the often ignored culture of black on black violence.
Therefore, this opinion editorial (OpEd) series “In My Skin” is about my intimate and provocative encounters with “colorism” while growing up in poverty, living, and working in America as a light skinned black man with hazel green eyes. My depiction nor my words won’t be welcoming, but rather a raw honest, and perhaps provocative glimpse of my personal journey and struggles over the years. I thank you all in advance for your indulgence.
An Introduction To A Continuing Blog Series…
I’m David Adams
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