30th Anniversary Series: Being Color Brave Rather Than Colorblind
On November 14, 2014, Dr. Rashawn Ray gave a lecture on Being Color Brave rather than Colorblind. He begins his interactive talk with pictures from a recent Halloween. One picture depicts a man in blackface wearing a prison costume. Another is a couple in blackface making fun of Ray Rice and his domestic violence charges. Watching back the lecture, it was disappointing to realize that these pictures were from 2014 and we still are seeing the same things in 2022. 8 years later and people still think it is okay to promote blatant racism across social media.
Dr. Ray said something that really stuck with me. “If we acknowledge the privilege we have and we don’t do anything about it then what does that mean about us.” I always wondered how people were able to ignore the open hatred and racism that is deeply embedded in our history and continues today.
Dr. Ray shed light on the privilege that allows people outside of the targeted group to ignore the horror around them. People choose to take the path of least resistance and don’t fight for change. This is because they have the privilege of not spending their entire lives being stuck in a cycle of structural racism and prejudice. They don’t have to worry about what will happen to them if they are pulled over by the police. They don’t have to worry about the years of unjust racism that is encountered in the justice system, the education system, and the economic foundations of our country.
Due to privilege, we are able to not face a terrible truth. Are people scared of seeing the real horror around them? Or are they scared that they will see it and then have to do something about it? Individuals are nervous about the guilt they may feel if they take the time to address their bias and educate themselves. The guilt of not using their privilege and voice to speak up.
People claim to “not see color,” and that race is not a factor that affects how they view others or how they conduct their lives and relationships. Dr. Ray talks about being Colorbrave not Colorblind. Seeing color and how it affects our society. Making the active decision to change to fight against the negative implication of race in our society. Being colorblind is a privledge. It means you don’t wake up every morning having to face a world that is structured to put you down. It is time that everyone peels back the curtain and looks behind it. To see the Halloween costume as a hateful message that promotes years of violence rather than something glamorizes and laugh at.
About the Author
Meredith is a senior at the University of Maryland majoring in Marketing and Management. After college, she hopes to travel the world and learn more about different countries and cultures. Meredith wants to combine her interest in business with her passion for helping others.