Since I’m a writer, and a writing professor, and I host the Colorism Healing Writing Contest, I thought I’d offer some writing inspiration for those interested in the contest or simply exploring the topic for themselves. I’ve created 30 writing prompts to get you through a month-ish of writing.
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Whether or not you choose to share your writing or enter the contest, I believe these writing exercises can be productive by merely engaging with them.
I’ve been leading several in-person writing workshops lately. Seeing the effect of engaging in reflective writing as a tool for contemplating colorism inspired me to offer this practice to my comrades near and far. Online community, this is for you!
Please enjoy these 30 prompts to help you explore colorism! Let me know which ones you like best.
List of Writing Prompts:
1- If my skin could speak for itself . . .
2- I remember . . .
3- Respond to the song “Four Women” by Nina Simone:
“Four Women” Lyrics
My skin is black
My arms are long
My hair is woolly
My back is strong
Strong enough to take the pain
inflicted again and again
What do they call me
My name is AUNT SARAH
My name is Aunt Sarah
My skin is yellow
My hair is long
Between two worlds
I do belong
My father was rich and white
He forced my mother late one night
What do they call me
My name is SAFFRONIA
My name is Saffronia
My skin is tan
My hair is fine
My hips invite you
my mouth like wine
Whose little girl am I?
Anyone who has money to buy
What do they call me
My name is SWEET THING
My name is Sweet Thing
My skin is brown
my manner is tough
I’ll kill the first mother I see
my life has been too rough
I’m awfully bitter these days
because my parents were slaves
What do they call me
My name is PEACHES
4- Many black magazines during the early & mid 1900s featured bleaching cream ads like this one. Write a “Letter to the Editor” of one of these magazines responding to the presence of this ad.
5- Consider all of your features. Colorism often influences our attitudes about hair texture, eye color, and the size and shape of noses and lips.
6- Respond to the following quote by Malcolm X: “It’s imagery. They use their ability to create images, and then they use these images that they’ve created to mislead the people. Those who oppress know that you can’t make a person hate the root without making them hate the tree. And since we all originated in Africa, you can’t make us hate Africa without making us hate ourselves. And they did this very skillfully. And what was the result? They ended up with 22 million Black people here in America who hated everything about us that was African. We hated the African characteristics. We hated our hair. We hated our nose, the shape of our nose, and the shape of our lips, the color of our skin.”
7- Dear past/future self . . .
8- What _____ taught me about complexion . . . (or hair or facial features)
9- PROBLEM: Colorism. SOLUTION: ? ? ?
10- Write an analysis of this magazine cover. What messages are implied by this combination of words and images? Why is the fact that this cover was published in 1966 a significant detail? What was happening in the U.S. or the world at this time? What does it mean that this cover was published by Ebony magazine?
11- Respond to the song “Cloud 9” by Donnie:
“Cloud 9” Lyrics
We live from the head down and not the feet up
And I’m adorned with the crown that’s making this up
And I’m fine…fine…under Cloud 9
Yes I wear the lamb’s wool, the feet of burned brass
And the wool defies gravity like the nature of a gas
And I’m fine…fine…under Cloud 9
Twist my cloud and it rains
And when it rains, oh it pours
And the energy will absorb
Power for the metaphysical one
Happy to be nappy, I’m black and I’m proud
That I have been chosen to wear the conscious cloud
And I’m fine…fine…under Cloud 9
I be a chameleon and wear it bone straight
But it’s so much stronger when it’s in its natural state
And I’m fine…fine…under Cloud 9
We live from the head down and not the feet up
And I’m adorned with the crown that’s making this up
And I’m fine…fine, I’m so fine…under Cloud 9
Twist my cloud and it rains
And when it rains, oh it pours
Twist it and it rains
And when it rains, oh it pours
Twist my cloud and it rains
When it rains, oh it pours
Twist my cloud and it rains
Twist it…twist it, twist it
Twist it, a-hey…a-hey…yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah…yeah
Twist my cloud and it rains
Twist it and it rains
Don’t you let…them tell you
Tell you…you ca-a-an’t
You…ca-a-an’t
Don’t you…let them
Tell you…that you
You’re ugly
Or you’re not…
Who you’re not…
You don’t…fit in
But be proud of your Cloud, yeah
Be proud of your Cloud
12- Use the poem “Contrast” by Marielle R. Medina to inspire your own piece of writing about how two people experience the world differently based on how they look.
13- Dear . . . Write a letter to someone from your past who played an important role in your experiences with colorism, whether an ally or an antagonist or a complicated mix of both.
14- Art History Contemplation: Describe what you see in the painting “Free Women of Color With their Children and Servants” by Agostino Brunias c. late 1700s. What historical reality is it depicting? Why do historical artifacts like this one matter when addressing colorism? How do you think this aspect of history influences present day issues of colorism?
15- Where is my privilege? Yes, it exists. We ALL have it. Some more than others. No matter your skin tone, reflect on the ways your complexion and/or other aspects of your physical appearance, ethnicity, or cultural background benefit you.
16- Respond to this quote by Bill Duke (creator of Dark Girls): “What it comes down to is pain that is deeply held by children, and they don’t discuss it because they feel they’re going to be ridiculed by discussing it. So, we’re giving a voice to that discussion. The reason we think that dialogue is important is because it’s the beginning of healing. If you hold things and you don’t discuss it, it does bad things to the human body, psyche, everything.” Write About: pain you’ve experienced as a child, pain you witness in other children, the fear of speaking about colorism, the demand for silence around colorism, breaking the silence around colorism.
17- Write a response to the following research studies:
Matthew S. Harrison & Kecia M. Thomas (2009): “The findings suggest that skin tone plays a considerable role in the favorability of a Black applicant; indicating that skin color is more salient and regarded more highly than one’s educational background and prior work experience.”
Kimberly Kahn and Paul Davies (2010): “confirmed that high stereotypical (HS) Black targets (i.e., those with darker skin, broader noses and fuller lips) elicited stronger implicit bias in split-second “shoot/don’t shoot” situations than low stereotypical (LS) Black targets or White targets. The implications for policing are discussed.”
Viglione, J., Hannon, L., & DeFina, R. (2011): found that in North Carolina between 1995 and 2009, light skinned black women received more lenient prison sentences and served less time in jail.
Hannon, L., DeFina, R., & Bruch, S (2013): reported that very dark-skinned black girls are 3x more likely to be suspended from school than very light-skinned black girls, and for boys and girls alike, darker skin correlates with higher suspension rates.
18- Whether it’s sunny or rainy, GO OUT and FEEL NATURE on your SKIN. Then Write About: Joy. Peace. Love. Happiness. Confidence. Passion. Awe.
19- Know that it is okay to talk about and write about: Hurt. Sadness. Pain. Anger. Mourning. Loss. Fear. Loneliness. Shame. You are not “weak” because you feel these things. You are simply HUMAN. Facing these emotions and addressing them directly is actually a sign of STRENGTH, COURAGE, and BRAVERY, not a sign of weakness.
20- Accept and Honor the Process. My analogy for the healing process is a SPIRAL STAIRCASE. It can seem like we’re going in circles. But each time we come back around we are able to view our situation from a higher plane, a higher state of consciousness. And healing requires effort and persistence, right? Rarely is it ever achieved in a single leap. Also, it’s okay to rest, take breaks, slow down, pace yourself, or even sprint if you have a boost. So, yeah. Write about your healing process. Accept and honor wherever you are, wherever you’ve been, wherever you intend to go. (p.s. embrace the writing process too!)
21- Celebrate Growth and Progress! Write an ODE to your GROWTH.
22- What’s your hair story?
23- I’ve never said this to anyone before, but . . .
24- How have I been part of the problem and/or the solution?
25- Keep Writing: Take the last line or sentence (or any line/phrase) from something you’ve previously written, and make it the first line of a new piece of writing.
26- ReVision: Take an existing piece of your writing and cut 30% of it. (p.s. I know that’s scary! But you can save the original draft just in case 😉
27- SHARE! Let someone else read your writing. Ask for feedback about the content or the craft. Or not.
28- PERFORM! Read your writing OUT LOUD to yourself or to others. See how it feels. See what you learn about your writing.
29- What would you say to yourself about colorism if you only had 30 seconds?
30- SUBMIT YOUR WRITING to the 2018 Colorism Healing Writing Contest! You might decide that entering a contest is not for you. However, if you’re hesitating out of fear or shyness or self-doubt, I challenge you to practice a little courage today. Be brave. Take a risk. You will survive. And practicing the skill of courage is the best way to thrive!