The Power of Color

Step into your power. The color of your skin, your aura, the mood infused in your clothes, your style. The Power of Color–a candid visual expression and Q&A by The Heathers.

TELL US ABOUT..

WHEN DID YOU REALIZE WHITE PRIVILEGE WAS A THING?

Aaron: Uh, it think I’ve always knew it subconsciously, which explains why I tried so hard to assimilate when I was in High School. I think I recognized how much easier it was to be white, how more attractive you were thought to be because of whiteness, or how luxury items were marketed to white people. How that privilege actually affected the world though? I started to see that AFTER I graduated college. Better late than never, never better late I guess.

Dem: definitely as I got older/now. Being in an entertainment, you see how all the big studios are ran by white people and they have to hire multicultural agencies to help them target multicultural audiences, but if they had that in house, that wouldn’t be an issue. White people definitely think they can get away with talking to people in a certain way and often don’t get reprimanded for it. The moment a person of color speaks up, they’re shut down or ignored or seen as having an attitude. It’s not an attitude, it’s a perspective. I’ve been accused of having an attitude numerous times by white people this year, but it’s me speaking my truth/knowledge, which I think they’re scared of

Crystal: For me the conversation didn’t really start until college. Ya remember the tumblr days?? Yeah i learned about it from there haha. I did allot of my own research and really tried to understand the concept. I think it really did help me embrace being half white, half filipino and white passing.

Roxanne: Definitely when I got into the workforce after college. Can’t believe how ignorant I was to it growing up. Now I can’t help but to call it out every time I see it. SOUNDS ABOUT WHITE.

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IS YOUR POWER OR RESPONSIBILITY AS A PERSON OF COLOR?

Aaron: My responsibility as a POC is to love myself. I think that also translates to the greatest power. Loving myself or the idea of loving yourself is extremely hard for a lot of people, but I think it affects people of color more and when we get to choose that love for ourselves we become unstoppable. When we take time to nurture ourselves and others, we begin to see people succeed. We get to see ourselves in magazines and on runways. We start to cater to ourselves rather than wait for white people to do it. That’s so powerful.

Dem: to always have a voice! I think in today’s society, it’s important to speak up, combat privilege and help others in realizing that they have a voice too. For so long I was scared to speak up as a person of color because as a biracial man, I never felt like I fully fit in anywhere. I was never light enough or dark enough. I’ve come to realize now that that shouldn’t stop me for speaking up, it should just encourage me to speak louder!

Crystal: Having a voice, literally what Dem said. We live in such a transitional time right now. And its so important to speak up about what’s wrong and whats right, representation, and privilege. My family comes from a time of assimilation, and it’s my responsibility to embrace what they could not.

Roxanne: Contrary to the privilege that comes with being white, I think there’s just as much power in being a person of color. Maybe not explicit or inherit power, but the special power that evolves when someone BECOMES and owns who they are as a person, including their cultural roots and all. Queue Uncle Ben’s infamous quote… AND WITH GREAT POWER, comes great.. you know the rest. I think our responsibility as a person of color is to learn our as much of our native culture as possible, to keep stories and traditions alive, and to SPEAK THE FUCK UP when things go wrong, when they go right–whenever you feel compelled to use your voice or speak your truth.

Roxanne aka substance

THE POWER OF COLOR

It’s yours forever, make it your own. It’s deeper than skin, what’s the color of your soul?