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A Matter of Color

Picture of By: Heddy Keith M. Ed, CI, CPS
By: Heddy Keith M. Ed, CI, CPS
December 15, 2021

A Matter of Color

White all Right, Black Get Back

While dark skin denotes acceptance and a sense of belonging on the African continent, light skin raises questions of authenticity and a conflicted sense of identity. A division of individuals based on the difference of appearance began with slavery and colonialism and has led to discrimination and violence. It can have other forms, such as colorism, a concept intertwined with racism but distinct.

This article will explore why certain skin tones are exposed to forms of prejudice and look into the colonial legacies that still manifest within our society through media platforms and globalization processes.

Colorism discriminates against people according to their skin tone or shade. According to Hunter, colorism lies within the dual system of discrimination; but its outcome will differ dramatically by skin tone.

Colorism is not exclusive to the African American community. It negatively affects Africans throughout the diaspora through feelings of a lack of authenticity among those with lighter skin and feelings of inferiority among those with darker skin. It causes a divide between those who identify within the black African ethnic group.

The World Health Organization reported that 77% of Nigerian women use skin bleaching products regularly. Togo follows them with 59%, South Africa with 35%, and Mali at 25%.

The Dark Girls, a documentary released in September 2011, outlines the characteristics of colorism, Bill Duke and Channsin Berry direct it. Both directors were encouraged to produce the film after their personal experiences with discrimination due to their skin shades. Dark Girls explores the issue of colorism, a social form of bias, within Black culture against individuals, particularly women, of darker skin tones. Although racism is an equally important matter, colorism is a different phenomenon that needs to be addressed.

The documentary describes racial profiling as the beginning of the division between the ‘house negroes and the slave negroes’. Those who could successfully pass the ‘brown paper bag test,’ a test that looked at whether you are lighter or darker than a paper bag. Therefore, allowing for the internalization of the idea that those with darker skin were the lowest of human beings. Those with lighter skin were considered superior among descendants of African ethnicity.

Divide and conquer The House Slave vs. The Field Slave

From 1619 to 1865, slaves were treated like animals and considered property. Slaves were commodities, unworthy of the rights that white people benefitted from. Slave owners raped their women slaves, which produced lighter skin tones for their offspring. 

Individuals with mixed black and white ancestry (Mulattos) had some privileges over those with darker skin color.  Many slave owners preferred lighter skin slaves. They assigned them positions where they could remain inside rather than work outside.

An article written in Forbes magazine reported that ‘147 million people worry about their identities. Colorism is also evident within Africa, which many scholars have also identified as a colonial legacy, as European settlers socially implemented it in the 19th century through concepts of racial profiling.

Rwanda is an example of Europeans using differences in African Ethnicity as an instrument for applying western social constructs of hierarchy (Pareisse 2014). Colonial administrators attempted to form order and decentralize the tribes by giving specific power and privileges to the Tutsis because they were ‘whiter’ than the Hutus (San 2010). Europeans measured the noses, skin color, temples, and faces of the African ethnic groups, to determine who was superior or closer to the Europeans.

The colonial administrators gave more power to the Tutsis. They were more ‘white than the Hutus.’ This allowed a complex of social superiority to evolve amongst the different groups. The slave owners performed a similar case in the U.S.

A recent study by the University of Cape Town suggests that in South Africa, one in three women bleaches her skin. The women say they use skin-lighteners because they want “white skin.”  Skin bleaching is widespread from Africa through Asia and the Middle East to North and South America – promoting light skin as the standard of female beauty.

Skin whitening cream has become a big industry in the global beauty industry. Sales grew to $43 billion in 2008 (Dark Girls 2011, Norwood 2015). Africans accounted for significant portions of sales in Africa and African Americans in the United States (Dark Girls 2011).

Bleaching agents destroy or stop melanin production, the pigment responsible for skin color. Without Melanin, the skin becomes vulnerable to UV light and leads to cancer. Many of these skin bleaching products have hydroquinone, a substance that thins the skin to the extent that it easily rips and becomes hard to repair.

In pre-colonial Congo, dark skin was preferred to such an extent that parents put babies in the sun to become darker. However, today, 30-40% of women in the Congo use skin whitening cream.

Darker-skinned people worldwide continuously attempt to change their appearance to conform to socially constructed pre-existing stereotypes. Because of the white supremacy that exists, which subconsciously infers that to live successfully, one must conform to the social appearances of mainstream society.

In the documentary, “lighter skin women said they felt they had to prove they were Black when in front of members of the community who were of darker skin tones/” (Dark Girls 2011).

Major media publications like Time Magazine and the Los Angeles Times published articles that used headlines such as ‘Is Obama Black Enough?’ (Coates 2007). Questions surrounded the ethnic legitimacy of President Barack Obama not being black enough.

The Effects of the Media and Globalization

“The documentary accurately encapsulates the damaging effects media plays in shaping colorism and allowing for its perpetuation through the choice of actors, presenters, and musicians broadcasted globally. White women are the primary women in black music videos.” (Dark Girls 2011).

The media continues to broadcast lighter skin tones by choosing those of lighter skin (Gabriel 2007). “Once those of darker skin makes it to the media outlets, their image is often photoshopped, altering darker-skinned individuals’ skin color to lighter skin tones.”

Gabriel explores how dark skin women are depicted as welfare mothers, and dark-skinned men are gangsters or criminals. In contrast, Black individuals of lighter skin are shown to be the ‘leading woman’ or ‘heroines’ (Gabriel 2007). Media platforms allow this continuance of social domination by exporting images around the world of western beauty standards that subconsciously encourage women and men to alter their appearance.

“While the U.S. simultaneously exports imagery of the ‘good life’ with ‘white western beauty,’ it allows ‘African Americans to internalize white-dominated American society’s ideals and seek participation in the American Dream by becoming whiter.” 

In Conclusion, media outlets and globalization maintain structural racism by consistently displaying white beauty with success and negative images of Black people synonymous with crime, poverty, and unhappiness. “It not only causes discrimination between those of the same ethnicity, and has multiple other subconscious implications that transcend cultural boundaries and allows prejudice to form a preference for lighter skin people within our global society” (Dark Girls 2011).

Colonialists and white imperialists have contributed to this conception of prejudice through early forms of racial Caste systems of categorization and role assignment, which have been able to infiltrate various cultures through the media and globalization processes (Dark Girls 2011, Norwood 2015).

Heddy Keith
Picture of Heddy Keith M. Ed, CI, CPS

Heddy Keith M. Ed, CI, CPS

Heddy Keith M. Ed, CI, CPS is a retired master teacher, Hypnosis instructor, author, and speaker. She is the author of 3 books: Through it All: A Memoir of Love and Loss The story of her journey through grief and loss and healing from trauma. Through It All Trauma Recovery Journal and African American Scientists and Inventors an Accelerated Learning Curriculum, which teaches about the accomplishments of African American Scientists and inventors who contributed to our country and the world. Heddy is the founder and CEO of the Center for Leadership of Afrikan Women’s Wellness (CLAWW), whose mission is to increase awareness and develop a network of services and circles of individualized support for Black/African American women affected by trauma in Milwaukee County.

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Examples of What We Offer

Here are some specific examples of what partnership with us can look like. Every plan is customized — this is just a starting point.

PD Workshop Examples

Classroom wellbeing audit 

Classroom teachers assess their current wellbeing supports, identify specific strengths and gaps, and actively engage with research-based strategies to create an action plan for supporting student wellbeing in the classroom. This audit is more than a checklist—it’s a mirror that reflects how your everyday choices shape the mental health and wellbeing of everyone in your classroom. By pausing to rate, reflect, and plan, you will:

  1. Surface hidden stress points and strengths in your routines, environment, and relationships
  2. Connect concrete teaching practices (pacing, feedback, space design) to student and educator wellbeing
  3. Build shared language and data‐driven insights to guide micro‐interventions and systemic change
  4. Empower yourself and colleagues to co‐design evidence-based strategies that boost resilience, engagement, and trust
  5. Establish a continuous improvement cycle: audit → act → measure → refine

Specialized mental health skill-building workshops 

This goes beyond basic literacy to provide staff with practical skills and techniques for managing specific situations and promoting positive mental health within the school. 

Examples

  1. “De-escalation Strategies for School Staff.” A hands-on workshop teaching verbal and non-verbal techniques for safely de-escalating agitated or distressed students. 
  2. “Building Resilience and Coping Skills in the Classroom.” A training focused on equipping teachers with activities and strategies they can directly implement with students to foster resilience, teach coping mechanisms for stress, and promote emotional regulation. 
  3. “Creating Trauma-Informed Classrooms.” A workshop series exploring the impact of trauma on learning and behavior, and providing practical strategies for creating a safe, predictable, and supportive classroom environment that promotes healing and learning.
  4. “Mental Health & Wellbeing First Operational Mindset for Administrators”: When school leaders shift from a purely operational mindset to a mental‑health‑first mindset, the entire culture changes—students feel safer, staff feel supported, and families feel more connected. This workshop provides high‑impact, administrator‑friendly strategies. They’re concrete, actionable, and designed to fit into the real world of school leadership.

Adult SEL development 

Just as students benefit from developing social-emotional skills, so do adults. Adult SEL focuses on educators understanding their own emotions, managing impulses, setting goals, showing empathy, building healthy relationships, and making responsible decisions. 

Examples

  1. Interactive Workshops: Conduct workshops exploring each of the core SEL competencies (self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, responsible decision-making) through activities, group discussions, and reflection exercises.  
  2. SEL Integration Training: Train staff on how to weave SEL into their daily interactions, curriculum, and classroom management strategies. This includes explicit instruction on SEL concepts for students, creating opportunities for students to practice SEL skills, and integrating SEL into academic content.
  3. Emotion Regulation Strategies: Provide specific training on recognizing and managing challenging emotions in the workplace, including strategies for de-escalation and maintaining composure during stressful situations.

Integration of mental health into curriculum 

Embedding mental health education within the regular curriculum normalizes these topics, reduces stigma, and equips all students with foundational knowledge and skills related to their emotional well-being. Rogers’ understanding of key mental health concepts can inform curriculum development.

Examples

  1. Developing SEL Lessons with Mental Health Components: Collaborate with teachers to integrate lessons on topics like emotional regulation, empathy, and conflict resolution into existing Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) curricula, drawing on Rogers’ therapeutic approaches.
  2. Incorporating Mental Health Themes into English Language Arts: Suggest age-appropriate literature that explores themes of mental health, resilience, and seeking help, and provide teachers with discussion guides developed with input from mental health professionals.
  3. Creating Interactive Activities for Health Class: Develop engaging activities and projects for health classes that teach students about common mental health conditions, coping strategies, and how to access support.

PD Training Examples

Mental health literacy training 

This partnership focuses on equipping school staff with a foundational understanding of mental health concepts, common disorders in children and adolescents, and the importance of early identification and intervention.

Examples

  1. Elementary School Workshop: “Understanding Childhood Anxiety.” Topics could include:
    1. Different types of anxiety in elementary-aged children (separation anxiety, social anxiety, generalized anxiety).
    2. Observable signs and symptoms in the classroom (e.g., avoidance behaviors, physical complaints, difficulty concentrating).
    3. Strategies teachers can use to create a more supportive and less anxiety-provoking classroom environment (e.g., predictable routines, clear expectations, calming techniques).
  2. High School Professional Development Day: “Recognizing and Responding to Teen Depression and Suicidal Ideation.” Topics could include:
    1. Distinguishing between typical adolescent moodiness and signs of depression.
    2. Understanding risk factors and warning signs for suicide.
    3. Evidence-based strategies for talking to students who may be struggling.
    4. School protocols for reporting concerns and accessing support services.
  3. Customized Training for Special Education Staff: “Mental Health Considerations for Students with Learning Differences.” A tailored workshop addressing the unique mental health challenges that students with IEPs may face and strategies for integrating mental health support into their educational plans.

Trauma-Informed practices 

Trauma-informed practice recognizes the widespread impact of trauma and understands potential paths for recovery. In a school setting, this means understanding that students (and staff) may have experienced trauma and that these experiences can affect behavior, relationships, and learning. Training helps staff recognize the signs of trauma, respond in a way that avoids re-traumatization, and create a safe and supportive environment. It also includes understanding secondary trauma or compassion fatigue that educators may experience when working with individuals who have experienced trauma.

Examples

  1. Introductory Workshop: A foundational training on the prevalence and impact of trauma, the principles of trauma-informed care (safety, trustworthiness, peer support, collaboration, empowerment, cultural humility), and recognizing signs of trauma in students and colleagues.
  2. Skill-Building Sessions: Workshops focused on specific trauma-informed strategies, such as creating predictable routines, using de-escalation techniques, fostering a sense of safety and control, and promoting student voice and choice.
  3. Addressing Secondary Trauma: Training specifically addressing the impact of working with traumatized individuals on the helper, providing strategies for self-care and seeking support to prevent compassion fatigue and burnout.

Educator Resilience-Building Workshop Examples

Mindfulness and stress reduction workshops for staff 

Mindfulness involves paying attention to the present moment without judgment. Stress reduction techniques are practical strategies designed to lower physiological and psychological responses to stress. Training in these areas equips educators with tools to manage the inherent demands and pressures of their job, cultivate a sense of calm, and increase their capacity to be present and responsive.

Examples

  1. Workshop Series: A series of workshops (30-60 minutes each) delivered after school or during professional development time. 
  2. Short, Practical Sessions: Offer 15-minute guided mindfulness or breathing exercises before staff meetings or during designated breaks.
  3. Online Modules: Provide access to self-paced online modules on stress management and mindfulness techniques.

Building resilience (CLE)

Resilience is the ability to adapt well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress. Training in resilience helps educators identify their strengths, develop positive coping mechanisms, cultivate optimism, and build strong support networks. 

Examples

  1. Interactive Workshops: Sessions exploring the key components of resilience (e.g., self-awareness, self-regulation, optimism, connection, purpose). Activities could include identifying personal strengths, developing positive self-talk strategies, and practicing problem-solving skills.
  2. Goal Setting and Action Planning: Training on setting realistic goals and developing action plans to navigate challenges and achieve a sense of accomplishment.
  3. Building Support Networks: Facilitating discussions and activities that encourage staff to build strong relationships with colleagues and identify external sources of support.

Enhancing school climate – for the staff

School climate refers to the quality and character of school life. A positive school climate for staff is characterized by trust, respect, collegiality, collaboration, and a sense of belonging. Consultation focuses on identifying areas for improvement and implementing strategies to foster a more supportive and positive environment.

Examples

  1. Team-Building Activities: Recommending and facilitating team-building activities that promote positive relationships and a sense of community among staff.
  2. Recognition and Appreciation Programs: Consulting on developing formal or informal programs to recognize and appreciate staff contributions and efforts.
  3. Creating Opportunities for Social Connection: Advising on creating spaces and opportunities for informal social interaction among staff.

Systemic Examples

Needs assessment and strategic planning (CLE)

A systematic process of gathering information about the current state of staff wellbeing within the school, identifying key stressors, and understanding the needs and preferences of the staff. This data then informs the development of a targeted and effective plan for implementing wellbeing initiatives.

Examples

  1. Administering Surveys: Using anonymous surveys to gather data on staff stress levels, workload perceptions, access to resources, and interest in different types of wellbeing support.
  2. Conducting Focus Groups: Facilitating small group discussions with staff from different roles (teachers, administrators, support staff) to gain deeper qualitative insights into their experiences and needs.
  3. Reviewing Existing Data: Analyzing existing school data such as attendance records (staff absences), staff turnover rates, and incident reports (if relevant to stress/conflict).
  4. Collaborative Goal Setting: Working with the school leadership team and wellbeing committee to set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals for improving staff wellbeing.

Developing supportive policies and practices 

Examining existing school policies, procedures, and unwritten norms to identify those that may contribute to staff stress or hinder wellbeing. Consulting on modifications or new policies that actively promote a healthy work environment.

Examples

  1. Communication Protocols: Advising on establishing clear and efficient communication protocols to reduce ambiguity and information overload.
  2. Meeting Structures: Consulting on making meetings more efficient and purposeful, perhaps by designating some meetings specifically for collaboration or wellbeing check-ins rather than just information dissemination.
  3. Establishing Boundaries: Providing guidance on establishing and respecting professional boundaries regarding work emails and communication outside of school hours.

Consultation on school mental health systems 

This involves leveraging Rogers’ understanding of best practices in mental health care to advise schools on the development and implementation of comprehensive systems that support student and staff well-being.

Examples

  1. Developing a School-Wide Mental Health Protocol: Consulting with a school district to create a clear and consistent protocol for identifying students in need of mental health support, conducting initial assessments, making referrals, and collaborating with external providers (including Rogers, if appropriate).
  2. Implementing a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) for Mental Health: Advising a school on integrating mental health supports within their existing MTSS framework, ensuring that all students receive appropriate levels of support based on their needs.
  3. Conducting a Mental Health Needs Assessment: Partnering with a school to administer surveys and conduct focus groups with students, staff, and parents to identify key mental health needs and inform the development of targeted interventions and supports.

Integrating wellbeing into existing structures 

Embedding wellbeing initiatives within the school’s existing operational framework rather than treating them as separate, add-on programs. This ensures long-term sustainability and demonstrates that wellbeing is a priority.

Examples

  1. Professional Development Alignment: Integrating wellbeing topics into regular professional development days or staff training sessions.
  2. Staff Meeting Agendas: Including a dedicated agenda item for staff wellbeing check-ins or sharing wellbeing tips during weekly staff meetings.
  3. School Improvement Plans: Incorporating goals related to staff wellbeing into the school’s overall improvement plan.

 

Coaching Examples

Leadership coaching

Coaching specifically designed for school administrators and team leaders. This focuses on developing their leadership skills related to supporting staff wellbeing, creating a positive team culture, and effectively managing workplace dynamics that can impact stress levels.

Examples

  1. Promoting Work-Life Balance: Coaching leaders on modeling healthy work-life boundaries and encouraging their staff to do the same.
  2. Building Team Cohesion: Working with leaders on strategies to foster a sense of teamwork, trust, and psychological safety within their teams.
  3. Mentor Coaching for New School Administrators on Fostering a Positive School Climate: Pairing experienced administrators with new leaders and providing coaching focused on creating a supportive and mentally healthy environment for both students and staff.

Individual wellbeing coaching

A confidential and supportive partnership between a trained coach and an individual staff member. The coach helps the staff member identify their wellbeing goals, explore challenges, develop strategies, and build self-awareness and resilience. This is particularly helpful for staff experiencing high levels of stress, burnout, or those seeking to proactively enhance their wellbeing.

Examples

  1. Goal Setting Sessions: Initial coaching sessions focused on helping the staff member clarify their wellbeing goals (e.g., reducing stress, improving work-life balance, developing better coping skills).
  2. Strategy Development: Working with the staff member to identify and practice specific strategies for managing stressors and improving wellbeing (e.g., time management techniques, communication skills, boundary setting).
  3. Reflection and Problem-Solving: Providing a space for the staff member to reflect on their experiences, process challenges, and problem-solve difficult situations.

Instructional coaching with a wellbeing lens 

Integrating conversations and support around wellbeing into existing instructional coaching cycles. This recognizes that teacher wellbeing is intertwined with their classroom practice and provides a holistic approach to support.

Examples

  1. Managing Classroom Stressors: Coaches can work with teachers to develop strategies for managing challenging student behaviors, reducing classroom disruptions, and creating a more calm and predictable learning environment.
  2. Building Positive Student Relationships: Coaching on techniques for building strong, positive relationships with students, which can be a source of both joy and stress for teachers.
  3. Workload Management within Instruction: Helping teachers prioritize tasks related to planning, grading, and differentiation in a way that feels manageable.
  4. Reflecting on Emotional Responses: Coaching teachers to reflect on their emotional responses to classroom situations and develop strategies for managing those emotions constructively.

Peer coaching programs 

Training selected staff members to serve as peer coaches for their colleagues. This leverages internal expertise and fosters a culture of mutual support within the school. Peer coaches can provide a confidential and relatable source of support, sharing strategies and offering encouragement.

Examples

  1. Coach Training: Training peer coaches in basic coaching skills, active listening, confidentiality, and boundary setting.
  2. Structured Check-ins: Establishing a structure for peer coaching interactions, such as regular informal check-ins or more formal scheduled conversations.
  3. Providing Resources: Peer coaches can share relevant wellbeing resources with their colleagues.