Confronting Colorism with Marita Golden and Lori L. Tharps

On Saturday, May 1 – yes, that’s tomorrow – I am honored to be taking part in a Conversation Series with author, activist and educator, Marita Golden on the topic of colorism.

Marita Golden Wrote the Book on Colorism

Marita Golden is the author of the beautiful memoir, Don’t Play in the Sun, which details her personal journey with colorism. She is an expert on colorism in the African-American community and I am thrilled we are going to sit down and talk about my book, Same Family, Different Colors and where we are as a society as it relates to loving the skin we’re in.

Colorism is Not a Colored People’s Problem

I’m really excited to have this conversation with Marita because we’re going to go beyond Black and white and really deep dive into the reasons why so many of the melanin rich, still yearn to be melanin poor. Why is colorism a global phenomenon? And probably most importantly, what can we do as a society and as individuals to combat colorism? In my opinion, the fight begins at home and people of every hue plays a role in fixing this world that continues to elevate light over dark. This in not just a colored people’s problem. Yes, it’s a herculean task, but if everybody did a little something, we could fix this by the next generation.

#All Shades are Beautiful

We changed the perception of natural Black hair in less than one generation, so why can’t we do it with darker skin tones? All it takes is a will and for the public narrative to change. And from where I sit, those things are already happening. There are hash tag movements, social media influencers and celebrities from every walk of life using their platforms to bring awareness to this insidious issue and spread the word that all shades are beautiful. Even global candy companies are getting in on the act to stop colorism.

Join the Conversation about Colorism

So, if you want to be part of this free event tomorrow, with two writers who care about colorism, simply RSVP at the this link, and we’ll see you tomorrow.

By the way, if you have a specific question about colorism, drop it in the comments below and I’ll try to answer it. Thanks!