I am more than happy to donate. I have been talking about this all my life, I am 63 and I remember each and every comment made about me or to me from Black Americans men. Your dark but you are pretty, all of the women that I dated were light skinned etc… Growing up Iwas called Tar Baby, Sambo, my dad told me to be a Nurse or a School Teacher because I was too dark to be anything more than that. I told my two daughters one light skinned and one dark skinned not to judge people by the color of their skin. Choose a mate based on character, education and respect for one another. When I tell my experiences to someone who skin color is much lighter they argue and cannot comprehend the rejection that a dark-skinned woman has encountered thru out her life. So I am more than willing to donate. Please email the mailing address, I do not send money online.
I’ve been dark skinned all my life. I can remember our family being the only
ones on the beach under bad weather umbrellas. I’m forever grateful to the
Ellis family who were dark skinned and very proud. Because their daughter was my first girlfried they always encouraged me to be proud of my darkness. I was at the point of arrogance.
I am looking forward to seeing this film. Its something I haven’t personally experienced, however a classmate of mine went through this, and I know it was very painful for her. I want to see this film because it definitely explains a lot about Black Men and Black Women and our general relationship with each other.
I, too, have not experienced this. I am a white woman. I can only imagine what this must feel like-but of course I will never understand being that I’ve never gone through it. I look forward to seeing this movie when it comes out and hope that it promotes awareness and has a positive outcome.
To add on to this problem in the Black community is the stigma that lighter-skinned women have placed over their heads… “She’s bougie… she thinks she’s all that because she has long hair, or lighter eyes, or a thinner nose, or looser curls…” or whatever. The majority of time that I’ve heard these comments they’ve come from darker-skinned women. The self esteem of some women has been almost eradicated to the point where they throw slurs at the lighter-skinned women and it’s a REAL problem. So no one wins. For darker skinned Black women, the perception is they have to be lighter to be as beautiful or as desirable (which is NOT true). With the lighter-skinned women, we’re dark enough to be called a nigga, but too light to gain the friendship and respect of darker-skinned women. I’ve had the same problem my entire life… until people get to know me. But because I have long hair and light brown skin many Black women deemed me to be a certain way (which was NOT true). We discriminate against ourselves.
All these things go back further and deeper, it was during slavery the slaves were put into categories, house and field as they were called. I think it is sad that we have over the years kept that type of mentality of thinking, enslaving our minds as such. Even though you may be light skinned or dark, yes in the eyes of another race we are all still considered a “N.” We have to put an end to this thinking first and foremost. Let’s set our minds free and not allow this type of thinking anymore, give it no power or energy for growth!
HI BILL
PLEASE TRY TO GET THIS TO THE CARIBBEAN AND THE CONTINENT OF AFRICA!!!! I AM A NATIVE OF ST. LUCIA AND WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP YOU GET IT IN MY COUNTRY AS WELL.
THIS FILM IS PRICELESS…IT OFFERS DEEP INSIGHT, IT’S INSPIRING THE HUMANITY AND COMPASSION IN ALL OF US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS GO THROUGH WHO ARE SIMPLY…BEAUTIFULLY DARK SKINNED. IT OFFERS HOPE AND SOLUTIONS AS WELL. YOU ARE AND HAVE ALWAYS DONE EXCELLENT WORK. IT’S INCREDIBLE HOW MANY IN THE INDUSTRY JUST CAN’T APPRECIATE YOUR BRILLIANCE AND AND AWESOME TALENT AS A DIRECTOR. I LOVE YOUR WORK. THANK YOU FOR THIS THOUGHTFUL DOCUMENTARY. KEEP IT GOING BILL..AND KEEP ON PUSHING UPWARD!!!!! I TOTALLY BELIEVE IN YOU! GWYN CHAPMAN
I am not a black woman but Hispanic, and although I cannot relate on a personal basis I have personally seen the discrimination towards darker-skinned women. I have a close friend who tells me what it was like growing up and how alienated she felt. I really felt for her and not just her for anyone who was hurt because of color. People are people regardless of skin shade, the amount of respect society has amongst one in other in this “developed” country we live in is disgusting. If I were not in college and working to pay off my loans and tuition I would completely donate more, I’ll donate what I can and spread the word on the need for funding.
Thank you for making this film, documentaries that evoke negative feeling tend to be swept under the rug and called “controversial” and ignored, I’m glad this hasn’t become the case for this film, ignorance is NOT bliss, let the truth be known.
Hello! Mr. Duke I just saw the preview for this movie and I know it a good film. I am so impressed that you and other in black hollywood decided to make a film about colorism in the black communities of america. we need to have this film go nationwide. When will the movie be available for purhcase?
I was soooo touched by this piece. I remember as a child there was a so called family joke of separating the light-skinned and dark-skinned cousins.
Some joke, uh? I have a niece who is a deep chocolate-skinned Iman (for lack of a better description) She is gorgeous. Whenever she is with me white people especially white men are constantly staring at and complimenting her.
I know it is mainly because of her skin tone. I always encourage her to embrace it along with all her other beautiful attributes.
I was raised to believe black is beautiful and this video made me sad. Thinking you’re more beautiful than others because you’re lighter in complexion is pathetic… is a slavery mentality…a colonial mentality that we have to put an end to. Mothers, Daughters, fathers, sons, my people… do not keep this vicious circle going! I pray that God deliver our race from this bondage. AMEN!
I am 68 years old and I still remember my mother telling the comment my great-grandmother made when I was born….about how dark I was. The irony of this is that my great grandmother was very,very dark. It just scrambled my mind that she would make such a judgmental statement or way of thinking??? One of her daughters (my grandmother) and her grandson(my Dad) were dark complexion. And oh do I know about the whole hair complex….my mother also disowned me when I stopped ‘pressing’ my hair…..but in her later years she also changed to natural. I can’t wait to see this movie….still much needed discussion/conversation within the Black communities. Ashe
WoW,..this documentary is going to be powerful. If our people could just embrace who they are, and be comfortable in their own skin and their own hair we would be able to enrich ourselves as a race, and embrace all our shades of color. The woman with the tears streaming down her face really hit home for me, and I hear that statement quite often about woman saying, “I’m glad that baby didnt come out dark”. We are.. who we are BLACK ! Black is beautiful and people really need to realize this cause we are not the ones getting into tanning machines to make our skin darker, or sunbathing in the sun for hours.
Just wondering why this is only catered toward black women? Dark men are victims of the same issues and sometimes even worse. Our racism comes from our own people who assume light skin is better looking, more wealthy, better educated and not to mention has now spilled over into other racial groups thinking and believing the same thing. I would challenge this documentary to bring both men and women into the fold of this horrible issue of skin color.
This is an issue that definitely needs to be brought to light. I am a light-skinned black woman who is tired of only being appreciated for my relativity to the white beauty standard. I’m sick of looking in the media and only seeing yellow women with fake European noses and blonde weaves. I want us to be proud of our dark skin, our broad noses, our wool-like hair, our full lips and our African bodies. If our self worth is connected to our image, then it is about time we show the world just how beautiful that image is! Can’t wait to see it!
My hairdresser, from the Dominican Republic has said to lighter skinned customers to put streaks and color in their hair so they don’t get taken for black. When they clearly all are.
I think too, we have to also accept that people do have their types and preferences. Some men prefer blonds etc. So we have to realize that just because a brother may like long hair and light skin ( and I have neither) there are also white men out there who love black skin. And the same for sisters and women not of color. There is no stigma for not being someones type, but it doesn’t have to get derogatory. RESPECT !
Our children from day 1 have been taught to embrace their dark skin, so that is their standard of beauty. My wife and my daughter wear their hair natural and my sons like girls who look like their mother (an ebony queen). We have taught them that in ancient Kemet (Country of the Blacks, now known as Egypt), that they painted your statue black when, after you passed, you received the highest level of veneration & the most honored Netcher (Divine Aspect of God), Ausar (Osiris) was painted jet black.
Dr. Paul C.. The doctor had a thought on being any race you wanted to be and supposed what it would be like to find a rich star like Michael Jackson to pay for the color change of skin in the world and there I was able to recall the doctors words for Michael Methanoloamine 5 mg a day and to be taken with Ethanoloamine 10 mg a day. The doctor also said since Michael probably had a problem with cocaine and baking soda Michael would have to wait three months to or if he had been doing crack, cocaine and pcp he would have to wait 6 months and take MethanoloEthanoloamine 25 mg. But since Michael had backpain I had to tell him to try to take MethanoloEthanolocarbamolamine and Diethylparaminobenzoic acid and Methylethyl paraben and paraminobenzoic acid and Methyl paraben in one but changed it to without the Diethylparaminobenzoic acid in that first conversation and told him if he wanted to change back to black skin was to stop the other medications and take Melanin and that was all he needed .Also if you want to seal the color paraminobenzoic right after the core 5 groups. I think Michael took the 25 mg drug because it was easier to remember. at first, then Michael took more cocaine giving him that dull creme white look and then going back to his doctor and then trying to get his doctor to figure out carbamol or to find it like the Metnanoloamine and Ethanoloamine which the doctor had never known existed. Since Michael, a bunch of people have been able to change their skin color perfectly and Diethylparaminobenzoic will break the seal of color for the other coloring without methanolo and ethanolo in the black mixtures.P.S. Methanoethanoloamine generally 25mg works more gently and more over time some women will need red laser or plastic surgery to change the characteristics that some faces have that are only found in black cultured women consult a qualified doctor
I am happy to contribute $500.00 to this project. Please let me know how I can help raise more with our community. This topic is near and dear to my heart.
Once again the after effects of slavery,that have wounded our hearts,it is up to each one of us to heal by speaking out and supporting films such as this.
I am a 50yr old African American woman that is constantly reminded of the after effects of slavery,whether it is the looks and stares I get from my own because my hair is in it’s natural kinky state I was given by God,I don’t even have to imagine what darker skinned women go through I have felt the hatred and hurt as well.We as a people need to loves ourselves and each other.I pray everyday that my grandchildren will live in a more loving and accepting society.I will do everything in my power to teach and be an example to help destroy the past ills of slavery.
I have some painful memories growing up in NYC related to this topic. My own mother would make remarks about my skin color because she has a light complexion. I was part of the segregation of NYC schools and remember teachers making remarks, holding brown paper bags to my face (some of you may remember the paper bag. If you were darker than a brown paper bag you were relegated to sit in the back of the room). Very painful for me and many light skinned friends, family and even my husband don’t want to believe there is prejudice within the black community but I KNOW it’s there. I’ll be praying you get all the funding you need but I can’t personally donate as I’m out of work right now.
I am very interested !
I am more than happy to donate. I have been talking about this all my life, I am 63 and I remember each and every comment made about me or to me from Black Americans men. Your dark but you are pretty, all of the women that I dated were light skinned etc… Growing up Iwas called Tar Baby, Sambo, my dad told me to be a Nurse or a School Teacher because I was too dark to be anything more than that. I told my two daughters one light skinned and one dark skinned not to judge people by the color of their skin. Choose a mate based on character, education and respect for one another. When I tell my experiences to someone who skin color is much lighter they argue and cannot comprehend the rejection that a dark-skinned woman has encountered thru out her life. So I am more than willing to donate. Please email the mailing address, I do not send money online.
This is an important dialogue. I am really glad to see this being discussed in an online forum where so many people can be reached and contribute.
I’ve been dark skinned all my life. I can remember our family being the only
ones on the beach under bad weather umbrellas. I’m forever grateful to the
Ellis family who were dark skinned and very proud. Because their daughter was my first girlfried they always encouraged me to be proud of my darkness. I was at the point of arrogance.
I am looking forward to seeing this film. Its something I haven’t personally experienced, however a classmate of mine went through this, and I know it was very painful for her. I want to see this film because it definitely explains a lot about Black Men and Black Women and our general relationship with each other.
I, too, have not experienced this. I am a white woman. I can only imagine what this must feel like-but of course I will never understand being that I’ve never gone through it. I look forward to seeing this movie when it comes out and hope that it promotes awareness and has a positive outcome.
To add on to this problem in the Black community is the stigma that lighter-skinned women have placed over their heads… “She’s bougie… she thinks she’s all that because she has long hair, or lighter eyes, or a thinner nose, or looser curls…” or whatever. The majority of time that I’ve heard these comments they’ve come from darker-skinned women. The self esteem of some women has been almost eradicated to the point where they throw slurs at the lighter-skinned women and it’s a REAL problem. So no one wins. For darker skinned Black women, the perception is they have to be lighter to be as beautiful or as desirable (which is NOT true). With the lighter-skinned women, we’re dark enough to be called a nigga, but too light to gain the friendship and respect of darker-skinned women. I’ve had the same problem my entire life… until people get to know me. But because I have long hair and light brown skin many Black women deemed me to be a certain way (which was NOT true). We discriminate against ourselves.
All these things go back further and deeper, it was during slavery the slaves were put into categories, house and field as they were called. I think it is sad that we have over the years kept that type of mentality of thinking, enslaving our minds as such. Even though you may be light skinned or dark, yes in the eyes of another race we are all still considered a “N.” We have to put an end to this thinking first and foremost. Let’s set our minds free and not allow this type of thinking anymore, give it no power or energy for growth!
HI BILL
PLEASE TRY TO GET THIS TO THE CARIBBEAN AND THE CONTINENT OF AFRICA!!!! I AM A NATIVE OF ST. LUCIA AND WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP YOU GET IT IN MY COUNTRY AS WELL.
THIS FILM IS PRICELESS…IT OFFERS DEEP INSIGHT, IT’S INSPIRING THE HUMANITY AND COMPASSION IN ALL OF US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS GO THROUGH WHO ARE SIMPLY…BEAUTIFULLY DARK SKINNED. IT OFFERS HOPE AND SOLUTIONS AS WELL. YOU ARE AND HAVE ALWAYS DONE EXCELLENT WORK. IT’S INCREDIBLE HOW MANY IN THE INDUSTRY JUST CAN’T APPRECIATE YOUR BRILLIANCE AND AND AWESOME TALENT AS A DIRECTOR. I LOVE YOUR WORK. THANK YOU FOR THIS THOUGHTFUL DOCUMENTARY. KEEP IT GOING BILL..AND KEEP ON PUSHING UPWARD!!!!! I TOTALLY BELIEVE IN YOU! GWYN CHAPMAN
I love black women. The darker the better. I’m not alone.
This is so powerful and is relevant today as it always has been, particularly since the enslavement period. When will this be available?
I am not a black woman but Hispanic, and although I cannot relate on a personal basis I have personally seen the discrimination towards darker-skinned women. I have a close friend who tells me what it was like growing up and how alienated she felt. I really felt for her and not just her for anyone who was hurt because of color. People are people regardless of skin shade, the amount of respect society has amongst one in other in this “developed” country we live in is disgusting. If I were not in college and working to pay off my loans and tuition I would completely donate more, I’ll donate what I can and spread the word on the need for funding.
Thank you for making this film, documentaries that evoke negative feeling tend to be swept under the rug and called “controversial” and ignored, I’m glad this hasn’t become the case for this film, ignorance is NOT bliss, let the truth be known.
Hello! Mr. Duke I just saw the preview for this movie and I know it a good film. I am so impressed that you and other in black hollywood decided to make a film about colorism in the black communities of america. we need to have this film go nationwide. When will the movie be available for purhcase?
I was soooo touched by this piece. I remember as a child there was a so called family joke of separating the light-skinned and dark-skinned cousins.
Some joke, uh? I have a niece who is a deep chocolate-skinned Iman (for lack of a better description) She is gorgeous. Whenever she is with me white people especially white men are constantly staring at and complimenting her.
I know it is mainly because of her skin tone. I always encourage her to embrace it along with all her other beautiful attributes.
I was raised to believe black is beautiful and this video made me sad. Thinking you’re more beautiful than others because you’re lighter in complexion is pathetic… is a slavery mentality…a colonial mentality that we have to put an end to. Mothers, Daughters, fathers, sons, my people… do not keep this vicious circle going! I pray that God deliver our race from this bondage. AMEN!
I am 68 years old and I still remember my mother telling the comment my great-grandmother made when I was born….about how dark I was. The irony of this is that my great grandmother was very,very dark. It just scrambled my mind that she would make such a judgmental statement or way of thinking??? One of her daughters (my grandmother) and her grandson(my Dad) were dark complexion. And oh do I know about the whole hair complex….my mother also disowned me when I stopped ‘pressing’ my hair…..but in her later years she also changed to natural. I can’t wait to see this movie….still much needed discussion/conversation within the Black communities. Ashe
This needs to be a part of the school lessons. Especially in the black community.
I totally agree!
WoW,..this documentary is going to be powerful. If our people could just embrace who they are, and be comfortable in their own skin and their own hair we would be able to enrich ourselves as a race, and embrace all our shades of color. The woman with the tears streaming down her face really hit home for me, and I hear that statement quite often about woman saying, “I’m glad that baby didnt come out dark”. We are.. who we are BLACK ! Black is beautiful and people really need to realize this cause we are not the ones getting into tanning machines to make our skin darker, or sunbathing in the sun for hours.
Just wondering why this is only catered toward black women? Dark men are victims of the same issues and sometimes even worse. Our racism comes from our own people who assume light skin is better looking, more wealthy, better educated and not to mention has now spilled over into other racial groups thinking and believing the same thing. I would challenge this documentary to bring both men and women into the fold of this horrible issue of skin color.
This is an issue that definitely needs to be brought to light. I am a light-skinned black woman who is tired of only being appreciated for my relativity to the white beauty standard. I’m sick of looking in the media and only seeing yellow women with fake European noses and blonde weaves. I want us to be proud of our dark skin, our broad noses, our wool-like hair, our full lips and our African bodies. If our self worth is connected to our image, then it is about time we show the world just how beautiful that image is! Can’t wait to see it!
My hairdresser, from the Dominican Republic has said to lighter skinned customers to put streaks and color in their hair so they don’t get taken for black. When they clearly all are.
I think too, we have to also accept that people do have their types and preferences. Some men prefer blonds etc. So we have to realize that just because a brother may like long hair and light skin ( and I have neither) there are also white men out there who love black skin. And the same for sisters and women not of color. There is no stigma for not being someones type, but it doesn’t have to get derogatory. RESPECT !
Our children from day 1 have been taught to embrace their dark skin, so that is their standard of beauty. My wife and my daughter wear their hair natural and my sons like girls who look like their mother (an ebony queen). We have taught them that in ancient Kemet (Country of the Blacks, now known as Egypt), that they painted your statue black when, after you passed, you received the highest level of veneration & the most honored Netcher (Divine Aspect of God), Ausar (Osiris) was painted jet black.
Dr. Paul C.. The doctor had a thought on being any race you wanted to be and supposed what it would be like to find a rich star like Michael Jackson to pay for the color change of skin in the world and there I was able to recall the doctors words for Michael Methanoloamine 5 mg a day and to be taken with Ethanoloamine 10 mg a day. The doctor also said since Michael probably had a problem with cocaine and baking soda Michael would have to wait three months to or if he had been doing crack, cocaine and pcp he would have to wait 6 months and take MethanoloEthanoloamine 25 mg. But since Michael had backpain I had to tell him to try to take MethanoloEthanolocarbamolamine and Diethylparaminobenzoic acid and Methylethyl paraben and paraminobenzoic acid and Methyl paraben in one but changed it to without the Diethylparaminobenzoic acid in that first conversation and told him if he wanted to change back to black skin was to stop the other medications and take Melanin and that was all he needed .Also if you want to seal the color paraminobenzoic right after the core 5 groups. I think Michael took the 25 mg drug because it was easier to remember. at first, then Michael took more cocaine giving him that dull creme white look and then going back to his doctor and then trying to get his doctor to figure out carbamol or to find it like the Metnanoloamine and Ethanoloamine which the doctor had never known existed. Since Michael, a bunch of people have been able to change their skin color perfectly and Diethylparaminobenzoic will break the seal of color for the other coloring without methanolo and ethanolo in the black mixtures.P.S. Methanoethanoloamine generally 25mg works more gently and more over time some women will need red laser or plastic surgery to change the characteristics that some faces have that are only found in black cultured women consult a qualified doctor
Wish you the best of luck with your future films!
I love this
I live in sweden and i wanna see the move what shoud i do
I am happy to contribute $500.00 to this project. Please let me know how I can help raise more with our community. This topic is near and dear to my heart.
Once again the after effects of slavery,that have wounded our hearts,it is up to each one of us to heal by speaking out and supporting films such as this.
I am a 50yr old African American woman that is constantly reminded of the after effects of slavery,whether it is the looks and stares I get from my own because my hair is in it’s natural kinky state I was given by God,I don’t even have to imagine what darker skinned women go through I have felt the hatred and hurt as well.We as a people need to loves ourselves and each other.I pray everyday that my grandchildren will live in a more loving and accepting society.I will do everything in my power to teach and be an example to help destroy the past ills of slavery.
I have some painful memories growing up in NYC related to this topic. My own mother would make remarks about my skin color because she has a light complexion. I was part of the segregation of NYC schools and remember teachers making remarks, holding brown paper bags to my face (some of you may remember the paper bag. If you were darker than a brown paper bag you were relegated to sit in the back of the room). Very painful for me and many light skinned friends, family and even my husband don’t want to believe there is prejudice within the black community but I KNOW it’s there. I’ll be praying you get all the funding you need but I can’t personally donate as I’m out of work right now.
This very night, I was brought to tears because for the first time in my life, I don’t feel alone! Thank you <3