Coming from a predominantly Hispanic background, it was always instilled in me to never date a black person. My grandfather was a horrible racist and only God knows the things that would come of this toxic man. From my mother’s end, she never raised us to see people by color or brought what her father taught her into our home. If anything, my mom had many friends who were of races other than her own. I could see the diversity in her friendships and I believe that is what caused me to do the same. Till this day, I still don’t understand why some parents believe that it is a great idea to teach their kids to be racists. Anytime you are teaching your kids to look or act a certain way with someone different than you, you are instilling segregation.

What is in the Color of Skin?

It brought me to write this blog. What is in the color of skin? What makes people act a certain way or see people in a certain perspective as the world does today? Perhaps the question for you is– why do you see people by the color of their skin and not for who they are? As we celebrate Black History Month, that question really became a focus in my journey to racial reconciliation.

• How could people see others as less than just by the pigment of their skin?
• Why did whites see blacks less than in the times of slavery?
• How did slavery form as a result of one’s skin color?

The Role of Fear in Racism

You see there is always a root cause to something in our lives. The root of all evil is the love of money as the Bible shows us, so what was the root of slavery? What were the ugly roots that divided light skin and dark skin? I couldn’t help but see the word fear. FEAR? How could one have fear because of the color of skin? Well, after participating in an amazing opportunity to bring more light into racial reconciliation, I realized that fear enabled the hate that was driven to start slavery. Fear is what makes people want to bleach their skin.  For fear of acceptance. Fear is what separates us rather than unites us. You see, the color of skin has nothing to do with everything that you are. What I mean is that just because your skin color is not white, does not mean that you are not beautiful. That does not mean that you do not have worth.

The Color of Your Skin Does Not Define Your Worth

Studies have revealed that over a third of the women in South Africa bleach their skin in hopes of obtaining lighter skin–“white skin” all this so that they can be beautiful. My reaction is why? Why would you be ashamed of your roots? Why would you feel that the color of your skin was less than? Why would you feel that you had to go through all these outward adjustments to be accepted as anything but what you were born as? This is our reality! This goes on all the time. If it isn’t the color of our skin we are trying to change, then it is our bodies. As I continue to learn and educate myself I realized that the ancestors fought for the very same reason that people are trying to change their skin color. Many people sadly feeling that their color of skin labels them as dangerous, ignorant, poor, and who knows what else this world can come up with. But my point is when are we going to stop seeing blindly? Actually taking the time to see people for individuals. Not as a

If it isn’t the color of our skin we are trying to change, then it is our bodies. As I continue to learn and educate myself I realized that the ancestors fought for the very same reason that people are trying to change their skin color. Many people sadly feel that their color of skin labels them as dangerous, ignorant, poor, and who knows what else this world can come up with. But my point is when are we going to stop seeing blindly? When are we going to actually take the time to see people for individuals?  Imagine if everyone saw me as a Puerto Rican woman who lives off of welfare has kids and will never be anything but that. I would never believe the words of my heavenly father. I would never believe beyond anything but statistics. Thank God I don’t look like what I have been through! I know the result of believing a lie— one that I actually lived. That I was fatherless, that I was a child that was sexually

Imagine if everyone saw me as a Puerto Rican woman who lives off of welfare, has kids and will never be anything but that. I would never believe the words of my heavenly father. I would never believe beyond anything but statistics. Thank God I don’t look like what I have been through! I know the result of believing a lie— one that I actually lived. That I was fatherless, that I was a child that was sexually abused, and so many other labels that I believed I was.

A New Vision

I have a daughter and a son and I refuse to allow their vision to be clouded by things that have been produced by fear.

In fact, my daughter attends a dance ministry where the majority of the girls there are black. Did she ever feel uncomfortable? No, because that was not something we planted in her. My family is very diverse in everything we do and are part of. I refuse to let generations and generations of ignorance taint my children or anything that I do to serve God.  I may have been raised to see people by their color but, I have changed that in my house. My kids take the time to get names versus seeing people by their color of skin.

[bctt tweet=”I refuse to let generations of ignorance taint my children or anything that I do to serve God. ” username=”ys_scoop”]

The truth will always set you free.

My prayer is that we would see that our beauty and unique identity stems and emanates greatly within a person, not in their outward appearance. I am not blind to see that the church has clearly had its fault in the segregation and has failed in which I believe that God is asking us to be a diversity filled church.

God’s kingdom is diverse and it should never look like one color of skin.

The world has created a big standard of beauty. It has and continues to make a mess of things that are constantly dividing God’s creation. My hope is that you would see people beyond their outward appearance. Check yourself when you feel uncomfortable and ask yourself why? Dealing with it allows you to see things in a different perspective. Something other than your own. Something other than what you were raised to believe. If you’re a parent, decide to raise your kids to love other people for their heart not because they look like them.  As we celebrate Black History Month, remember that we must discover the meaning of freedom and the sacrifice it took to fight for it. We must make a huge dent in the colorism, racism, segregation and anything that divides us.

Be blessed and be a light in a world that is full of darkness! Don’t be afraid to stand up for justice and practice peace and compassion.

If you have ever suffered from low-self esteem because of the color of your skin. I encourage you to embrace your beautiful color and to be reminded that God never creates mistakes. You were uniquely crafted— You are beautiful!!! You emanate beauty!

A reflection of God’s grace, love, restoration, and hope Yvie Cano-Negron is passionate about advocacy and reconciling issues. A wife and mother she enjoys spending time with her family. She is the founder ofnonprofitfit organization for human trafficking victims and children sexually exploited and has her degree in inspiration and leadership. You can connect with Yvie on her website, Instagram and LinkedIn.