An Open Letter to My Friends Who Don’t “See Color”
Dear Friend,
There are some things that I feel I need to clarify before our friendship can continue.
First, I am black. Yes, I said it. I know it seems crazy that I would have to say it, but I am black. I thought I should tell you, since you can’t see color.
Second, you do see color. I know your first response is going to be to deny this statement. Somehow, you’re going to recount all the times that you didn’t see color. Maybe talk about how you didn’t know that this person was this ethnicity. Maybe how you walked past a black man without clutching your purse tighter. Maybe how you could look around and not identify a single race in the room. You tell me how you don’t see color with pride in your voice. You say it as though it is the best thing in the world. Congratulations, if everyone was like you then we wouldn’t have racism.
Maybe I’m the one who is tripping, but everyone sees color. To say you don’t see color is denying the oppression of people of color. I know it seems better to say I don’t see color. It makes you feel good. Maybe you feel like color shouldn’t matter. You’re right. Color shouldn’t matter, but unfortunately it does. It matters when I’m followed around in a store. It matters when I pass a police officer and get nervous, even when I’m not doing anything wrong. It matters when I’m walking down the street. It matters every minute of my life. The fact of the matter is your claim of “colorblindness” isn’t helping. You’re just ignoring the ways in which racism, both systematic and individually, shape the experiences of yourself and others in society.
I know it’s easier to believe that racism is dead, or at least dying out. But it’s not. Racism is like termites in a house. It’s not always something you can visibly see. Even when it’s right in front of your face, it can still be hidden. Often, if you don’t the signs of racism it’s easier not to see them. This, my dear friend, is why you might think racism is dead. You simply just don’t have to deal with it. When you’re walking in the store, you aren’t followed. When you walk into a room with mostly white people, you are fine. You don’t feel as if you don’t belong. You don’t have to feel as if you’re not allowed to belong. In high school, I’m sure everyone assumed you got into college based on merit. Well for me, it was assumed that I got in because of my race. I get that you don’t have to be aware of your race in the way that others do.
The bottom line is saying you don’t see color is annoying to hear from people who don’t experience racism. I can’t speak for all people of color, but I am tired of it. Color is real. Color matters. My color is a part of who I am. I’m black and I am proud of it. I look the way my dark skin glows in the sunlight. I love the way my black skin looks when I wear white. Don’t deny a part of who I am to pacify yourself. Don’t deny my radiance. I want you to see my color. I want you to see every color you can. I want you to realize the beauty in diversity. Then I want to see color in America. I want to see how people are treated in America because of their color. I want you to see the injustice people have faced because of their color. Then I want you to change.
Sincerely,
Me