Clips from the upcoming documentary exploring the deep-seated biases and attitudes about skin color---particularly dark skinned women, outside of and within the Black American culture.
This film will be released in Fall/Winter 2011. Please "Like" the Dark Girls page on Facebook, we will keep you updated with news there.
Directed by Bill Duke and D. Channsin Berry Produced by Bill Duke for Duke Media and D. Channsin Berry for Urban Winter Entertainment Co-Produced by Bradinn French Line Produced by Cheryl L. Bedford Edited by Bradinn French
The Dark Chocolate Journey By Raionne Griffin McDonogh #35 High School
As black people, we have been held down because of our skin color. We have been called every disrespectful named ever because of our darker shade of skin. After rising from the oppression of the white man, we have discovered that our darker shade is beautiful and unique. W e have learned to take pride in our race and our shade of color. Al though we have discovered pride in our shade, what happens when you are oppressed by our own race because of it?Since I was in elementary school, I have always had low self-esteem because of my skin color. When I was in elementary school, the children there would tease me because I was darker than others. The most common names they called me were “Aunt Jemima” and “Burnt Biscuit” Because I was called those names for so long, I begin to believe them. I begin to believe that I resemble Aunt Jemima and my skin color was as dark as the burnt biscuits they called me. There would be nights when I used to look in the mirror and cry because of how much I despised my skin color. I would also cry myself to sleep because of my desire to be lighter. At this point, I had lost all confidence in myself. They didn’t realize what they had done to me. They basically killed me and everything that I was.I have been dealing with this for a very long time. I have stopped calling this my issue and adopted this as my journey. Like my friend Maci I, too, feel that I haven’t finished my journey. There are times when I feel beautiful, and I feel like myself. There are other times when I feel the same way I did in elementary school. How can I overcome the evil tauntings of the negative people I had to deal with all of my life? Is it possible for me to stop taunting myself with the negative thoughts I had back then? Will I forever consider myself “Burnt Biscuit” or will I ever enjoy my life as beautiful, proud, “Dark Chocolate”?
