Complexity and Diversity of Colorism in Education: Hispanic and Black Educational Leaders' Collaborative Autoethnography

• In Event: Roundtable Session 28
  In Roundtable Session: Latina/o Families and Democratic Schooling: The Role of Schools, Families, and Leaders

Abstract

We interrogated experiencing colorism in education. Colorism carries intraracial (e.g., family and ingroup) and interracial (e.g., involving members of different races) skin color discrimination and other phenotype bias (e.g., hair). We conducted multidisciplinary literature reviews, used Goffman’s Frame Theory and a collaborative autoethnography. As two Hispanic females, Black female and Black male participant-researchers, we discovered variation in our interpretation and commonalities in experiences. Colorism is racially and culturally rooted, ubiquitous, intergenerational, and reproduced in education institutions. It is implicit and unconscious, engenders microaggressions, stereotype threat, attacks identity, and subjugates people of color to society’s White standards of attractiveness. Our collaboration illustrates building understanding through cross- ethnoracial sharing of much oppression colorism unleashes. Colorism must neither be ignored nor tolerated in education.

Authors

• John L. Taylor, The University of Arizona

• Suzanne Desjardin, Pima Community College

• Irene Robles-Lopez, Pima Community College

• Charita L Stubbs, University of Arizona