A Teen Faces Colorism At School And At Home In 'Genesis Begins Again'
Thirteen-year-old Genesis keeps a running list of things about herself that she hates — her skin is #95. Debut author Alicia D. Williams says she hopes her book will help young people "heal."
When teacher Alicia D. Williams asked kindergartners to pick out a crayon that reflected their skin tone, she says something heartbreaking happened: Out of a spectrum of multicultural options, "Never, never, never do our kids of color choose a skin tone that's close to theirs. They go as light as possible."
Observations like these inspired — about a 13-year-old African-American girl who dreams of having smooth hair, and skin as light as her mother and grandmother. Genesis keeps a running list of things about herself that she hates — her skin is #95.
