Colourism: An interview with Beatriz Cantada and Natalie Petit

In the second episode of Can You Hear Us?, the CYHU team takes a step back to critically tackle a system of oppression embedded within the identity politics of many women of colour in some shape or form: Colourism. Inspired by current events and Professor Akousa Adomako Ampofos Cutting Edge lecture on decolonizing academia, we welcome two guests all the way from Boston to begin deconstructing colorism and the ways in which it operates in social movements and community-building: Beatriz Cantada, Equity, Inclusion and Community Engagement Leader at MIT, and Natalie Petit, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Education in the MIT Sloan School of Management. “Growing up I didn’t use the word Colorism, we just said oh you’re lighter darker skinned” - Beatriz Cantada “Let’s not wait for another Tsunami like George Floyd when we could have just handled the rip tides [...to...] avoid the aftershocks.” - Natalie Petit