This experiment will be a personal essay on some of the things I experienced growing up in relation to colorism. This project engages me because I like to write stories and use imagery to get my point across. My ideal audience is other people in the black community that don’t think about the effects of colorism enough and to a general audience of any race who is not very informed on the topic of colorism and how it manifests in the individual.

 

This project matters to me because colorism is something I am very passionate about. In my experience, I have felt the effects of colorism more than racism in my day to day life, especially in the black community. I also find that the effects of colorism are hidden and not spoken on enough in broader society. For this reason, colorism needs to be addressed more and people’s stories need to be valued more. People make jokes about light skins and dark skins without realizing the negative impact it could have on both groups. There has always been discussion surrounding colorism, but it is many times invalidated and ignored. Many times, it is written off as a self-esteem issue when in reality there are many complexities to colorism and paradoxically, prejudice often raises self-esteem (Crocker et al.).

 

This first experiment will allow me to closely grapple with my own identity in a unique way. I chose to do the personal essay first so that when I go on to my other projects, I will have a firm handle on my emotions and the approach I want to take to my other experiments. I plan on interweaving two moments that really impacted my life and that I still vividly remember to this day. I’m looking forward to creatively exploring these two stories, while also speaking to an audience with a purpose.