Colorblindness

Thoughts:

1. I wish I could tell past me that yes, even though, biologically, race doesn't exist that doesn't mean that the social constructs of race does not have an impact on you and other people of color. 
2. Colorblindness ignores the problems that people of color face. And unlike teeth with cavities, it won't fall out and magically solve itself. 
3. As I recently told a classmate of mine, not talking about racism won't fix racism itself. 
4. Colorblindness is a white privilege. If you're white then you don't have to worry about seeing color and how that affects you. You don't have to worry about discriminatory remarks like, "Go back to your country" or "You're in America now, speak English" or "No, where are you really from?" Or being called a racial slur that has been used to oppressed you for centuries (and no cracker does not have the same effect as the n-word because of the complicated history and the power it holds.) Nor do you really have to worry about "the talk", how to act around the police, representation in the media and books, and more. 
5. As Trevor Noah once said in an interview with Tomi Lahren, "There's nothing wrong with seeing color. It's how you treat color that's more important." Please, acknowledge the struggles that people of color and marginalized groups face. And please don't tell us that it will get better without making an attempt to fix the problem that's systematically embedded into American society. Actually, make the attempt to fix it and educate people of power about it. Demand laws that are better for everybody. Defend existing laws that help us keep our freedoms. Vote for politicians that are willing to make the change. Be more aware. Learn from your mistakes. Believe people of color and other marginalized groups when we tell our stories. And more importantly don't speak over us, acknowledge our voices. 

Also, everyday feminism has this great article on 7 Reasons Why ‘Colorblindness’ Contributes to Racism Instead of Solves It.

~ Stacy N.