The beauty of human skin in every color | Angélica Dass

Summary

In this heartfelt speech, Angélica shares her personal journey growing up in a racially diverse family, highlighting the complexities of skin color and identity in society. She recalls experiences of racial stereotyping and discrimination, which shaped her perspective. This led her to create Humanae, a global photography project that captures the true diversity of human skin tones, challenging traditional racial labels. The project has resonated across cultures, sparking important conversations about race and identity while gaining international recognition. Through her work, Angélica emphasizes the ongoing need to combat discrimination worldwide.

Takeaways

• 🌍 It has been 128 years since the last country abolished slavery, and despite progress, racial discrimination remains a global issue.
• 👪 The speaker was raised in a family with diverse skin tones, and race was never important to her inside the family.
• 🎨 As a child, she struggled with society's perceptions of race, especially with the confusing concept of a 'flesh-colored' pencil not matching her skin.
• 🙁 She often faced mistaken assumptions about her role in society, being mistaken for a nanny, maid, or even a prostitute based solely on her appearance.
• 👰 The speaker married a Spaniard, which brought up societal questions about the skin color of their future children, a concern she finds irrelevant.
• 📸 Her personal journey inspired the creation of 'Humanae,' a photographic project that uses Pantone colors to highlight the diverse range of human skin tones.
• 🌐 Humanae evolved from a personal exploration into a global initiative, with over 3,000 portraits from 19 cities around the world.
• 🎓 Teachers use Humanae as an educational tool to teach students about diversity, while scientists use it in fields like anthropology, neuroscience, and face recognition.
• 🪞 The project serves as a mirror for people who don't feel represented by traditional racial labels, helping them feel seen and understood.
• 🇧🇷 The speaker was born in Brazil, the last country to abolish slavery, and she emphasizes that while progress has been made, discrimination is still deeply ingrained and requires ongoing effort to dismantle.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the speaker's message?

The speaker discusses the complex issue of racial identity and discrimination, emphasizing the persistence of skin color stereotypes and the personal journey of creating the 'Humanae' project to celebrate human diversity.

How did the speaker's family background influence their perception of color?

The speaker grew up in a multiracial family with varying skin tones, which made color insignificant within the family. However, outside the family, society assigned racial meanings to skin color, which shaped their experiences and understanding of discrimination.

What was the speaker's first notable experience of color discrimination?

The speaker recalls being confused as a child during drawing lessons because the 'flesh-colored' pencil did not match their brown skin. This confusion was an early indication of how societal norms about race differed from their personal experience.

How did society's perceptions affect the speaker's daily life growing up?

The speaker encountered various forms of discrimination, including being mistaken for a nanny, maid, or even a prostitute due to their skin color, highlighting how societal assumptions were tied to racial stereotypes.

What is the 'Humanae' project, and how did it begin?

'Humanae' is a photography project that aims to highlight the diversity of human skin tones by matching people's skin color with Pantone shades. It began as a personal exploration of the speaker's experiences with race and identity and has since evolved into a global project.

What method does the speaker use to determine skin color in the 'Humanae' project?

The speaker takes a photograph of each subject, selects an 11-pixel square from their nose, and matches that color to a corresponding Pantone shade, which is then used as the background color for the portrait.

What impact has the 'Humanae' project had globally?

The project has received widespread attention and participation, with over 3,000 portraits taken in 13 countries. It has been exhibited in galleries, museums, and public spaces, fostering debates about race and identity. It has also been used in educational, scientific, and cultural contexts.

How does the speaker view the concept of race, especially in modern science?

The speaker suggests that the concept of race is becoming increasingly questioned by modern science. They challenge traditional notions of race based on skin color, arguing that race is more complex and should not be limited to black, white, yellow, or red labels.

What personal transformation has the speaker experienced through the 'Humanae' project?

The speaker finds that the project has allowed them to transform feelings of frustration, fear, and loneliness into love. They describe the process of taking portraits as therapeutic, enabling them to channel personal pain into a broader message of unity and acceptance.

What does the speaker believe is still necessary to abolish, and why?

The speaker believes that discrimination, particularly based on skin color, still needs to be abolished. They argue that while slavery has been officially abolished, systemic racism and discrimination continue to persist globally, and addressing these issues requires ongoing effort.