Newsletter

Colorism with BLSU and SASA

By Eva Jo McIlraith

December 10, 2025

Black and Latine Student Union (BLSU) President Ja’Riah Lammons and Ahaana Mahapatra ‘27, President of South Asian Student Association (SASA), presented to a packed ALCC on the evening of Monday, November 10th to talk about colorism both on and off campus. As students snacked on Sri Lankan chicken curry along with rice and kheer, Mahapatra spoke on agriculturally rooted colorism within the South Asian and Indian caste system, and the way it is perpetuated in daily dialogue. She illustrated colorist featurism in Bollywood versus in global media, and the exclusion of actors with medium skin tones.

Lammons explored similar themes of agriculturally rooted colorism in American history, drawing from slavery in the US and the roles of mixed-race enslaved people. She dug into intersectional hyper visibility and invisibility of non-white mixed race identities, and examined hair texturism and media representation.

The meeting then opened up into a captivating discussion on students’ experiences with colorism. Secretary Joanna Jayalakshman Mohan ‘29 commented on the colorist standard of prettiness, noting that the beauty standard was made to “Subjugate women, especially women in minorities.” She described experiences with men calling her aggressive for her skin color, and classmates treating her differently. “There is a coming generation of women who don’t define their value in society based on their skin,” expressed Jayalakshman Mohan.

Attendees talked about the double standard of colorism for people of color despite mainstream trends of tanning among white populations, and stories of being told to straighten their hair. Many recounted stories of being told they were pretty “for a darkskinned girl,” or being told that they would look so beautiful if they just had lighter skin. 

Attendees and their stories came from all over, including the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic, South Asia, the US, and on campus at Hamilton. “Colorism affects us all,” Lammons reflected. “It’s really interesting to see the intersections between Black Lives Matter and George Floyd and “Fair and Lovely” as a company facing backlash for their marketing and colorist intentions.”

Overall, the event brought unexpected communities together in solidarity to bring awareness to colorism and discuss how to stand together in the fight against colonizing ideals of whiteness and lightness. “Colorism is extremely pervasive and can be insidious because it is difficult to put your finger on, which is why it’s important to talk about because it makes it easier to address and fix,” said Mahapatra after the meeting. The partnership of SASA and BLSU illustrates the importance of unity amidst the systemic oppression that seeks out communities based on the color of their skin, both on and off campus. This exploration of the roots and impact of colorism will undoubtedly forge a future of solidarity and equity. Thank you for this incredible event, and we can’t wait to see all of the wonderful things that will come out of this campus partnership!