“Our Brown Paper Bags” is an introspective analysis of how colorism manifests in media, relationships, and the personal beings of black women’s lives. Prejudice based on the difference on skin color can be seen through hair products, romantic relationships, sexual harassment, job discrimination, music, cosmetics and the media. This series explores the concepts of colorism within the African-American community by investigating the three main stereotypes common within colorism: light-skinned, brown-skinned, and dark-skinned. These stereotypes coincide with the title for each of the editions, which respectively are “French Vanilla” “Hot Chocolate” and “Licorice.” By collaging real and superficial black female figures with text that comes from rap lyrics, articles, and poetry the various manifestations of colorism is dissected, commented, and deconstructed. Each series has 8 collages, 4in x 6in, Digital Mixed Media.

LICORICE

HOT CHOCOLATE

FRENCH VANILLA