A few weeks ago a fellow curlfriend shared a link to the book Same Difference I loved the message so much I immediately requested an interview with the author, Calida Garcia Rawles. I hope you enjoy the video and please share your thoughts in the comments section. Read below for how you can support…..

How did you come up with the idea to create Same Difference?

I wrote Same Difference because I remember as a small child feeling different—different from some of my family and friends in school because of my light skin. Children would ask me questions like, “What are you?” and at times make jokes. At the same time, I witnessed darker-skinned children being ridiculed for their complexion, and I always wanted to reach out and say, “I don’t have your same experience, but I understand how it feels.” Back then, however, I did not know how to say it so clearly so I stayed silent.

When I became a mother of two girls, I searched for children’s books that addressed these issues of colorism but could not find any. It was then that I decided to write my own book, Same Difference.

What is your professional background?

I am a graduate of Spelman College with a degree in Art. I continued my education at New York University, receiving a master’s degree in painting. My master’s thesis paintings were based on the concept of colorism, so I guess you can say that I’ve been interested in exploring issues of identity  for a pretty long time.

Pretty for a…..

Do you think colorism is still an issue that women are dealing with today?

Yes, unfortunately. It is pretty ingrained in our culture. I hear it in our music and in other forms of expression. I hate that girls feel pressured to look the same. The standard images of beauty with light skin and long hair are still very prevalent. We see it on our television and in our magazines. You can still catch people using phrases like “good hair” in reference to looser hair curls.  

How do you think mothers and women can best help the next generation deal with this issue?

We have to teach our children to love themselves as they are. Building a healthy self-esteem is essential. Though it may be more work to find books of color, we have to have our children read books that have main characters that look like them and reflect the diversity of our nation. Girls have to see themselves in the world as smart, strong, and beautiful. It is common to compliment a young girl on how she looks, but we have to take that a step further and compliment her on how smart and strong she is so that her “looks” won’t be her main form of identity. 

How do you see colorism playing out in the mainstream media?

Our magazines and televisions are filled with women that reflect a white standard of beauty—tall, light, long hair. It is rare to see characters in movies, especially in leading roles, breaking these stereotypes of beauty. We clearly need more for our children.

 Let’s help our daughters, sisters and friends by discussing the ugly truth of light skin vs. dark skin. The book Same Difference is a great way to get started, click here