Colorism - Does Your Shade of Black Really Matter?
Toni Morrison recently wrapped up the show of her play "Desdemona" which had performances at the Southbank Theatre in Melbourne, Australia from October 16-19, 2015. Desdemona is also the name of the title character's wife in Shakespeare's "Othello".
This marks the third time a woman has written a play with Shakespeare's Desdemona as the main character. All three versions have a feminist take on Shakespeare's version, a perspective that rings true to Morrison's other literary work.
Morrison's books often have a female character as the main character and her latest novel, "God Help the Child" that was published this year. The book is bout Lula Ann Bridewell (Bride), who's born as a dark-skinned African-American, to African-American parents who are both light-skinned. The phenomenon known as colourism plays a huge part in how Bride grows up and is treated, or rather mistreated by mainly her own mother who blames the daughter for her marriage ending. Bride however goes on to be successful, despite her shade of black.
Even at the age of 84 Morrison is able to add to her collection of literary works, that now total 11 novels, 3 children's books, plays, and non-fiction work as well. She told the New York Times that she knows how to write forever. To her it's control, and it's freeing. It gives her the opportunity to create the story she said didn't exist.
Click image for corresponding video
She explains in the video (linked above) that she didn't discover why she wrote until later in life, and that she came at it, not as a writer, but a reader. The story about a black homely girl, a story where racism really hurt was one that she wanted to read. And so she did what anybody else would do (or not, lol), she wrote that story herself.
What does that tell you and me? If what you want, either to read, to see, or to eat, doesn't exist, create it. It's basic law of supply and demand at the root of it. Morrison was a professor before she became an author and shares in an interview with NPR that she discovered her gift, after joining a teacher's writing club of sorts. I would argue, not only did she provided a solution/supply to fill a void she'd discovered, but she was able to fill it by tapping into her gift of writing.
There's a quote that says "it's a beautiful thing when career and passion come together." I would possibly change that to when purpose and passion come together, as in when you find a meaning and a way to add value through what you love, your passion.
It's worth repeating that your story can only be told by you. Your story for that matter could be fiction, either-way, no one can tell it like you can. Just imagine if a caucasian woman had written a story about colourism and the effects it had on a character. It would be an entirely different narrative from a very different perspective.
Don't wait for, or allow someone else to share your story. Whichever way you choose to tell it, it deserves your unique touch.
Be blessed.