Commentary: More Than Skin Deep

With “What is Black” podcast, I set out to challenge the conception of who Black people are and challenge media stereotypes of the Black experience. I grew up with parents who centered the Black experience for me. They made me feel like there were no ceilings for me, only the ones that I created or allowed others to do so. I grew up in Washington DC, aka Chocolate City, which was a canvas of Black excellence.

It was my choice what and who I could be and accomplish, but... Why do I write “but” the idea of being and achieving Black excellence? The dreaded questions, “are you Black?” or “what are you?" How could I think of achieving Black excellence if my own Blackness was called into question? It took me a long time to accept who I am because of others questioning my right to the Black experience. It had me questioning my own claim to being Black.

Recently, after posting a blog post featuring a father and daughter, I was questioned about the image of the daughter because of the concern that she looked “mixed.” I’m always happy to receive feedback and comments about posts because I want to create a community forum, but the comment was a trigger for me. It brought back memories of my being questioned about my Blackness. I followed up with the commenter to learn more. The commenter wanted to share the importance of representing all shades of Black children but it hit home because it felt like the image of the child in the photo wasn’t seen as Black.

I’ve often seen comments about images of children who are mixed. They are often considered as other. My concern is that even amongst our own community, we create otherness. An otherness that is the legacy of systemic and internalized racism. I can sympathize with the commenter who wanted the site to be inclusive and not just use images that reinforce a “light-skinned” narrative of Blackness, but there is an array of hues that comprise Blackness. I am listening regarding representation but the representation has to be inclusive.

The unique perspective that I bring to this space is as Black pediatrician who advocates for all Black children and teens to be seen. But, the converse is that all kids who identify as Black should be seen and not questioned about their Blackness. What do we say to our kids when other Black people call into question whether they are Black enough? What are we saying to our children when we diminish their identities because of the color of their skin, hair texture, ethnic and/or cultural identities. They are all valid examples of Blackness.

I want “What is Black” podcast to be a safe place where parents can find resources and stories that validate their families’ experiences. Books are resources that help teach our kids to love who they are and their own stories.

During the next few months, the podcast will feature a diverse range of authors who share unique stories of Black children and teens. Many of the stories featured will confront issues of colorism. Additionally, I plan to have an episode dedicated to the issue of colorism to explore this topic more broadly and share resources for parents. I want children to feel seen no matter what they look like because Blackness is more than skin deep.