Erica’s daughter, Krista, struggles with self-esteem issues because of her dark skin tone; Joi faces “colorism” in the music industry, prompting her to question whether she should leave the business; Warryn asks Erica to preach with him at Church.

In these trying times, you can’t seem to get away from the sourness of race and the bitterness that it leaves us with. The negative effects of colorism can rob you of happiness.

The issue is as complicated as any other social problem. Colorism influences our society’s legal system, politics, educational system, healthcare system, crime and violence, and media. It is something we’ve internalized historically, but it’s something that is continuously affirmed within our society. When we look at print media, internet, and television media, who are the Black people that are in positions of power? Who are the anchors? And we see for the most part, particularly women, are lighter skinned. Erica had to listen to the pain in her daughter’s voice.

Colorism is a by product of the racism. As a result, colorism tends to produce different racial hierarchies in people of color that seem to mimic the very system that seeks to define and control them

But we must start somewhere.

Here are a few things that will  help you.

• Do not support those that praise one skin tone and not the other. Just don’t do it.
• Be confident enough to break down the stereotypes thrown at your race by your own race. Break down colorist stereotypes by speaking up.
• Be aware of cases of colorism, gender inequality, and racial inequality and overall forms of injustice so that you can better understand why society is the way it is.

I know these things sound simple, but we must work at it because we are all created in God’s image.

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, Genesis 1:27

Human life is inherently valuable.The powerful idea that every single person has inherent value is rooted in the image of God, a doctrine expressed in the opening chapter of Genesis.In short, a proper understanding of the image of God should animate everything we do. It should shine forth and transfigure us. It should shield us from the falsehoods of everyday lies.