To echo another commenter, I am also a fan of your writing.

Why is the status obsession not extended to owning our own businesses and institutions?

Girl, yes! I went to an HBCU for grad school, and it held a date auction as a fundraiser. The men who got top dollar were attractive, and had a range of skin tones. The women? 1st place was a medium-toned, head-turning pageant winner, 2nd was a regular white woman, 3rd was a woman who appeared Ethiopian, and so on…

Your perspective is valuable in informing others how to counteract colorism.

One of the challenges is that men are less likely to go to the doctor. Regular doctor visits, and visiting when something is wrong would help many men. Black women have distinct concerns, and it’s ok to discuss them. If you want to focus on testicular cancer and other concerns related to men, you are free to do so.…

I love it when people “pull a you on you,” especially in parent-child relationships!

It’s great that you have moved from a place of envy to one of confidence!

You’re right, I’m not being fair. People who think about the future a lot were warned, but it can be hard to get others to listen to us.

We had warnings, though. Latinx neighborhoods have been gentrified for decades.

Right, but what bothers me is how we are usually so late to mobilize, especially Damien Goodmon. As someone interested in rail, I attended Expo rail meetings open to the public in 2002, and knew a Crenshaw rail was in the works. There was even a group around that time trying to advocate for black people regarding…

Losing Leimert Park businesses would break my heart.

The lack of accountability, wow!

One pattern I have noticed is that the light-skinned people with dark-skinned siblings are less likely to deny the realities of colorism.

You’re so right, b/c I get sick and tired wasting time on silly debates as to what people mean when they say “African” features. They aren’t talking about Ethiopia.

Why do you think people disagree when you correct them? Sorry you have to deal with ignorant ppl telling you, incorrectly, who you are. Do you think it’s b/c of the increase in #s of mixed people?

I see this at work sometimes. It’s telling when the parent keeps talking about how the child is out of control, when interviews with the child’s teachers and the child’s behavior during doctor visits show otherwise. Sometimes an observant mental health specialist will notice the discrepancy and advise better parenting…

You could stay at home, or go, and make peace with the decision either way. I wish my dad was still alive b/c Christmas isn’t the same without him.

They can’t.

Colorism affects men too, as the woman my dad was going to marry got rejected b/c her mom thought he was too dark.

For your well being, it’s good that she’s an ex-friend. I hope she can find peace.