"Colorblindness" is Not the Goal

Has someone ever told you that “they don’t see color; they just see people?” I’ve been told this so many times, that it is now one of my favorite topics to discuss. Hopefully society can take the step from saying we are "colorblind" to seeing color and celebrating and appreciating it.

In my middle school leadership class, we talk about being race-conscious, which means to celebrate the things that make us unique. Race-consciousness also conveys that physical features such as skin color can and do negatively impact the life opportunities of some individuals. So while we may not view POC as being "less than," we are able to consciously think about how their experiences and culture may be different than our own. It proactively helps us view life from someone else's perspective rather than just assuming they see and experience life through the same lens we do. (Consider the differences between men and women. While both are completely created in God's image, we are different, and many of those differences should be celebrated.) As people who genuinely want equality for all, we need to desire to see other's unique qualities so we can acknowledge and address the inequality and injustice that has been perpetuated based on these differences.