April 2021 DEI Committee Blog

WGR’S Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee gathered on Tuesday, April 13^th to discuss the featured topic of Colorism. This discussion was facilitated by DEI Committee member Nicole Benjamin, who shared a TEDTalk video with participants that discussed colorism: 50 Shades Black: Amaya Allen”. Nicole also shared a brief history of colorism, and the use of the term by famed author Alice Walker. Walker was credited for first using the word in 1983 in her book, In Search of our Mothers’ Garden, when she defined colorism as “prejudicial or preferential treatment of same-race people based solely on their color.” The meeting participants then reflected on the TEDTalk video featuring Amaya Allen, promoting a discussion on the personal impacts of colorism. Members from various cultures and backgrounds bravely shared the effects of colorism on mental health, self-worth, beauty standards and marriage. It was noted that although colorism can be a taboo topic, it’s critical that we continue to have dialogues such as these in order to acknowledge the history and the effects  of colorism, and to work towards finding solutions to overcome its use.

Nicole continued the conversation by discussing internal vs. external racism as they relate to  colorism, and posed a question to the group: is it possible to address one without addressing the other? This led to a passionate and powerful conversation amongst the Committee members, who noted that both the issues of racism and colorism are very complex issues that cannot be solved with a single discussion, but creating spaces for meaningful dialogue, such as is created within the monthly WGR DEI Committee Meetings, is certainly a step in the right direction! 

We welcome all WGR members to join us each month at our DEI Committee Meetings! Our next meeting will take place on Tuesday, May 11th - please click here to register.

For more information on WGR’s DEI Committee, please reach out to dei.wgr@gmail.com.

This month’s blog is authored by DEI Committee Member and Lead Blogger Madisyn Rhone.