People of color discuss the impact of 'colorism' l GMA
Summary
TLDRThe video script delves into colorism, a form of bias based on skin tone within communities of color. It discusses the phenomenon's roots in historical events like colonization and slavery, and its lasting impact on wages, education, and self-perception. The script highlights initiatives like the Beauty Well Project, which aims to combat colorism by redefining beauty standards and promoting representation. It calls for early intervention through education and safe spaces to foster empowerment and challenge ingrained biases.
Takeaways
- π Colorism is a form of bias based on skin tone, affecting communities of color within the same ethnic groups.
- π The term 'light privilege' is used to describe the preference for lighter skin tones over darker ones within these communities.
- π Colorism is a global issue, affecting not only African Americans but also Asian Americans and other groups of color.
- π Studies have shown that there are wage disparities based on skin tone, with lighter-skinned individuals often earning more.
- π§ The concept of 'model minority' among Asian Americans is used to distance themselves from other people of color to gain favor with white people.
- π Dr. Joy De Gru suggests that colorism is rooted in proximity to whiteness, with lighter skin being associated with positive attributes.
- π Colorism can have long-lasting effects on mental and physical health, contributing to multi-generational trauma.
- π« Anti-colorism organizations, like the Beauty Well Project, work to end stigma and discrimination against darker-skinned individuals.
- π To combat colorism, it's important to teach people about their identities, history, and to redefine beauty standards.
- π§ Empowering young girls and providing safe spaces for people of color to share their experiences can help overcome insecurities and biases.
- πΆ Addressing colorism at an early age involves reforming school curriculums and including diverse representations for children to identify with.
Q & A
What is colorism and why is it significant in the context of the video script?
-Colorism is prejudice or discrimination based on skin tone, with a preference for lighter skin over darker skin. It is significant in the script as it discusses the impact of colorism within communities of color and its effects on various aspects of life, such as wages, employment, and self-esteem.
How does colorism manifest itself within the same communities of color?
-Colorism can manifest as 'light privilege,' where individuals with lighter skin are often perceived as more attractive or successful. It can also lead to internalized biases, where darker-skinned individuals may feel less valued or attractive within their own communities.
What is the term 'model minority' in the context of Asian Americans and colorism?
-The 'model minority' term refers to the mindset where Asian Americans distance themselves from other people of color by positioning themselves as the most hard-working and law-abiding minority in the country, often to gain favor with white people, which is a form of colorism.
How does colorism affect wages among African Americans?
-According to the script, a study shows that hourly wages among African Americans rise as skin tone lightens, indicating that lighter-skinned minorities are often viewed as more intelligent by employers, even with identical education as their darker-skinned counterparts.
What is the connection between colorism and multi-generational trauma?
-Colorism is linked to multi-generational trauma because it is rooted in the historical devaluation of darker skin, which has led to self-hatred and a desire to distance oneself from darker skin tones. This internalized racism can be passed down through generations, affecting mental and physical well-being.
How does the Beauty Well Project in Minnesota aim to combat colorism?
-The Beauty Well Project works to end the stigma against darker-skinned people of all races by empowering individuals to embrace their identity and culture, and by providing a platform for dark-skinned individuals to speak out against discrimination.
What are some statistics that highlight the impact of colorism on darker-skinned individuals?
-The script mentions that darker-skinned girls are three times more likely to be suspended from school, and darker-skinned drivers are more likely to be arrested or pulled over, illustrating the systemic bias against darker skin tones.
What can be done to combat colorism within communities of color?
-Combating colorism involves teaching people about their identities and history, redefining beauty standards, creating safe spaces for dialogue, and promoting representation of people of color in all fields to empower and uplift these communities.
How can individuals of color overcome their own insecurities and biases related to colorism?
-Overcoming insecurities and biases requires creating safe spaces for individuals to share their experiences, empowering them from a young age through mentoring programs, and ensuring representation in various fields to show that people of color can succeed in any area.
Why is it important to address colorism at an early age?
-Addressing colorism at an early age is crucial for preventing the internalization of biases and for fostering a sense of self-worth and identity in children. It involves reforming school curriculums to include diverse perspectives and ensuring that children see representations of people of color in all areas of life.
What role does representation play in empowering people of color and combating colorism?
-Representation is empowering because it shows people of color that they can succeed in various fields and are valued members of society. It helps to challenge and change beauty standards and biases, contributing to a more inclusive and equitable society.
Outlines
πΌ Colorism: The Bias Within Communities of Color
The first paragraph introduces the topic of colorism, a form of bias based on skin tone, which is prevalent within communities of color but seldom discussed openly. The segment honors the late producer Dasha Riley for championing the coverage of this issue. It discusses the concept of 'light privilege' and how colorism is not just about different ethnic groups but also within the same racial communities. The impact of colorism is shown through various societal aspects, including wage gaps and perceptions of intelligence, which are linked to skin tone. The paragraph also touches on the historical roots of colorism in proximity to whiteness and its lasting effects on mental and physical health, as well as the efforts of organizations like the Beauty Well Project to combat stigma and discrimination against darker-skinned individuals.
π Addressing Colorism: Education and Representation
The second paragraph delves into strategies to combat colorism, emphasizing the importance of teaching individuals their history and identity to redefine beauty standards. It highlights the need for safe spaces where people can share their experiences without fear. The paragraph underscores the significance of early empowerment, particularly for young girls, through mentoring programs and diverse representation across various fields. Representation is portrayed as a powerful tool for empowerment, helping young people visualize their potential. The discussion also extends to how to address colorism at an early age, suggesting reforms in school curriculums to include diverse perspectives and promote understanding and acceptance of all skin tones.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Colorism
π‘Light Privilege
π‘Proximity to Whiteness
π‘Asian American Model Minority
π‘Racial Trauma
π‘Anti-Blackness
π‘Beauty Well Project
π‘Representation
π‘Safe Spaces
π‘Mentoring Programs
π‘School Curriculum Reform
Highlights
The issue of colorism is a significant struggle within communities of color, often not discussed publicly.
Producer Dasha Riley championed the coverage of colorism, an important yet under-discussed topic.
Colorism is prejudice based on skin tone, favoring lighter skin over darker within the same racial communities.
The concept of 'light privilege' exists, where lighter skin is seen as more attractive or advantageous.
Colorism is rooted in the proximity to whiteness, with lighter skin being associated with positive stereotypes.
The impact of colorism is seen in wage differences among individuals of different skin tones within the same racial group.
Lighter-skinned minorities are often perceived as more intelligent by employers, even with the same education as their darker-skinned counterparts.
Colorism can lead to long-lasting mental and physical trauma due to societal imposed standards.
The anti-blackness ideology suggests that darker skin equates to being less human, causing people to distance themselves from it.
Organizations like the Beauty Well Project in Minnesota work to end stigma against darker-skinned individuals.
Statistics show darker-skinned girls are three times more likely to be suspended from school.
Darker-skinned drivers are more likely to be arrested or pulled over by law enforcement.
Combating colorism requires teaching people their identities and history to redefine beauty standards.
Creating safe spaces and listening to individuals' experiences is crucial for overcoming insecurities and biases related to colorism.
Mentoring programs and representation in various fields can empower young people of color to overcome colorism.
Reforming school curriculums to include discussions on identity and representation can help address colorism at an early age.
Transcripts
now a closer look at a struggle many
americans face
the bias of skin tone it's called
colorism
and it's an eye-opening topic and
covering it was championed by a member
of our gma team
we recently lost producer dasha riley
yeah this is such an important story and
deja felt that it was really important
to shine a light on this problem that is
so
recognized in communities of color but
rarely discussed publicly deborah
roberts is here
with more on the story good morning
deborah
good morning cecilia and michael and i
have to say that i am humbled and
honored to bring forth
one of the last pieces that dasia
produced for us
once again a provocative issue many that
i've had an opportunity to explore with
her over the years and
this one shining a light on bias around
skin tones not among different ethnic
groups but within the same communities
of color
some call it light privilege
she's pretty for a dark skinned girl
their parents will call me negro
which means black in spanish it's been
an open secret for generations
there's this like fetishization of light
skin it was always black or white
you know don't get too black colorism
prejudice based on skin tone
and a preference for light skin over
dark the unfortunate phenomenon spread
across all groups of color with an asian
americans this model minority mindset to
distance yourself from other people of
color
by positing yourself as like the most
like hard-working and law-abiding
minority in this country
in a way in order to kind of like gain
favor with white people
dr joy de gru who studies racial trauma
says colorism is rooted in proximity to
whiteness
the whole notion that white is the best
the correct the most intelligent the
most
right about everything and as you move
along
the color spectrum of the darker you are
the less important beautiful viable
capable all of those things that the
society has imposed upon
us based on that notion of of supremacy
it's impact woven into american society
and can affect every aspect of life
take a look at the differences in wages
for a dark-skinned african-american
a brown skin and a light-skinned
african-american
the study showing hourly wages among
blacks literally
rising as skin tone lightens
lighter-skinned minorities
viewed as more intelligent by employers
even with identical education as their
darker skin counterparts
experts say these examples of colorism
have long lasting effects of both mental
and physical trauma the anti-blackness
started with this whole idea that the
darker you are
the less human you are and so everyone's
distancing themselves
from that i think multi-generational
trauma is evident
i hated the way i looked i just wanted
to like
scratch the dark skin out of my face one
time
i was in the bathtub and i wanted to
stay in longer so my skin color could
get lighter i just thought that's how it
works
anti-colorism organizations like the
beauty well project in minnesota
work to end the stigma against
darker-skinned people of all races
who face discrimination from society as
well as their own communities
i know i was not alone i know i'm not
the only dark skinned girl that has been
bullied
you know so we need more dark skinned
girls and boys
just to speak out
colorism sparking a lot of conversations
lately even highlighted
in a best-selling novel the vanishing
half here are some statistics that dasia
was able to uncover
darker skinned girls three times more
likely to be suspended from school
darker skinned drivers more likely to be
even
arrested or pulled over a big problem
that we obviously need to do a lot of
work on
cecilia it is deb thank you and we're
going to start right now by talking
about it that's the first step so let's
bring it emira adway from the beauty
well project in minnesota an
organization
that empowers people to embrace their
identity and culture amira good morning
to you thank you so much for being here
to talk about as we say this really
important topic this is something that
exists for latinos this is something
that exists for asian americans
african-americans so many groups of
color
what can we do to combat this
good morning thanks for having me um um
colorism is so much embedded in cultures
it's something that
i started uh with colonization
those countries that experienced
colonization and
and and also uh communities that have
experienced uh um uh slavery
and so it's deeply rooted in cultures we
have to
uh teach people their identities we have
to teach people their history we need to
redefine beauty standards
because that is a huge uh issue that
impacts
these communities we need to empower and
uplift communities of color
no doubt in the mirror how can people of
color overcome their own insecurities
and biases yeah this is
this is so much trauma i mean uh this
this has been going on for years and
years and years so people are dealing
with so much trauma so much pain
and so they need safe space we have to
create
safe space for them we have to listen to
them
a lot of times people don't disclose
what they're experiencing unless they
have safe space
so we have to create these safe spaces
for them we have to empower
a very early on we have to start
empowering young girls
that's why it's so important to have
mentoring programs
young people have to see representations
in all field
for example journalism they have to see
people of color
in all of these places that really
represent them
that representation it's so empowering
and and and that helps with their
mentoring and that
helps them see that they can do whatever
they want that's why we say
representation matters so much so let's
talk about the next generation because
we want them to do better quickly if you
will
how do we address colorism at an early
age
yeah early age during early childhood
it's so important
to intervene and that is when we
really need to reform school curriculums
we need to include
young young kids in the school
curriculum curriculums
well hey there gma fans robin roberts
here thanks for checking out our youtube
channel
lots of great stuff here so go on click
the subscribe button
right over right over here to get more
of awesome videos and content from gma
every day anytime we thank you for
watching and we'll see you in the
morning on
gma
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