The system of racial discrimination against Melaninated people operates on at least three levels: race, equity, and color. Let’s be clear; as it relates to the global Black Family; racism is a larger, systemic, social process, and light supremacy is one manifestation of that process. It has been the goal of western societies to divided Melaninated (Black) people by our skin color, dialect, and physical features, (i.e. nose, eyes, moths).

This historical divide called colorism, is the foundation of many present-day perceived ills that negatively impacts our lives in various degrees. Consequently, it is essential that when probing into conversations about the race, skin color, and equity, we must get to the root causes of this bombastic wickedness.

The overarching message in this narrative is colorism, AKA light supremacy. The global concern with Melaninated people is their skin tone specifically and racial or ethnic identity generally. My narrative is not written to be divisive or to cause conflict between our beloved light and dark skin people; on the contrary, its knowledge based.

It is well-known that many light-skinned Black People have given their lives in the struggle for Black Freedom, Justice, Equality, and Dignity. The Honorable Julian Bond, who recently passed, was one of the greatest human and civil rights leaders of all times.

Consequently, this message is meant to clarify how skin tones, in global/western societies, have been used to divide and conquer.

For Melaninated people to achieve progress through unity; it is imperative that we embrace, appreciate, and fall deeply in love with all levels of our hues. Equally importantly, we must learn the true meaning of “White supremacy (WS)”. WS is the racist belief or promotion of the belief that white people are superior to people of other racial backgrounds.

Globally, white people are taught that they should dominate non-whites politically, economically and socially. The fact is; Light Supremacy, the first cousin of White Supremacy; is a system that afford light skin people a higher level of privilege and preferential treatment in global societies.

The practice of colorism has been used repetitively to manipulate Melaninated people. The main goal of colorism is to influence Black people to be willing participants in areas of self-destructive behavior that negatively impact our lives. Personal Point: I grew up with five brothers and four sisters. Our skin tones varied from those with very rich levels of melanin to those with a lesser level of melanin. We were one big happy family then, and we still are now.

When I was a youth growing up in the U.S. apartheid system in Marshall, Texas, I was immersed in the unconditional love my family had for me and one another. As an adult, however, I now know that skin color can, did, and does make a different in regards to positive or negative treatment of Black people around the world. Color consciousness is a false narrative brought into our lives through colonialism, slavery, bigotry, and others fear of melanin. Western societies have developed a global set of prejudices that determine how people are treated based primarily on the color of their skin. People rich in Melanin have been regulated to a position at the bottom rungidd of societies.

One thing that people with high Melaninated hue have inherited from the legacy of Light Supremacy is Self-hatred. Melaninated people have been taught to hate ourselves through centuries of enslavement (Arab and trans-Atlantic) and the colonial period that followed. Far too many of members of my global Black family see themselves through the lens of white media sources. Consequently, the legacy of LS continues to provide un-earned social and economic benefits to light-skin people.

• According to the World Health Organization, 77% of Nigerian women, use skin lightening products on a regular basis (I suspect the study was done among Yoruba women), as do 59% in Togo, 35% in South Africa, 27% in Senegal and 25% in Mali. These products are also used in India, Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast, Gambia, and Tanzania. These figures seem unusually high, but even if they’re overblown the problem is more than just cosmetic, it is culturally destructive.

The bleaching syndrome is the internalization of the promotion of white as beautiful. Western media sources have historically glorified whiteness; therefore, it is not surprising that a large percent of Melaninated aspire to whiteness and lightness. One of the main purposes of white supremacy is to devalue blackness in all its forms and to maintain a white-dominated power structure that assumes political, social, and economic dominance.

The evidence of white political and economic dominance is readily revealed when we observe the U.S. presidential candidates. Additionally, whites represent the overwhelming majority control in the U.S. Congress and System of Government throughout the Western World.

Melaninated people must realize that international media sources use the process of subliminal-seduction to reach deep into our subconscious mind to rules our thoughts and our behavior. The use of subliminal-seduction (SS) has proven to be so effective that Melaninated people don’t even realize it’s a factor in how we perceive ourselves and others. Consequently, light/white supremacy has contributed to internalized forms of racism that is an invisible presence in our psyches. Until Melaninated people learn to extract our color conscious demons, we will forever, struggle with self-identity and self-worth based on skin.

South Africa, during its Apartheid area, had a so-called race of “Colored”. These were light/mixed Blacks that were given a higher level of privilege/opportunities denied to their dark-skinned family members. It is shameful that even after the end of Apartheid, white privilege; hence white and light supremacy is still the rule in South Africa. Haiti, a model country, continues to test out this new definition of Light Supremacy today. In Haiti, the group in question is called the “Free Persons of Color.”

The “Free Persons of Color” were mostly mulattoes, children of white Frenchmen that repeatedly raped enslaved Black women. The “Free Persons of Color” in Haiti are/were mostly self-haters who ancestors participated in the subjugation, harsh treatment, and cruelty of Haitian slaves. Like the white decedents of slave owners in America; decedents of the Free Persons of Color in Haiti are still benefitting from ill-gotten gains obtained before and during the Haitian revolution. France and Haitian decedents of the Free Persons of must be required reparations for their ancestors’ demonic actions.

As human being living in the 21st century, we must understand that every drop of inequity, based on color, is a drain on the economic resources of Melaninated people. We must not continue to allow structural racial arrangement to exist in which one groups’ prospects are enhanced based on skin color. When it comes to equal opportunities, is not just a moral obligation of all human beings; it is the principles of Race and Equity.

It is unfortunate that many our brothers and sisters who benefit from Light Supremacy, cousin of White Supremacy, have no guilt about their privileged status. Several have tried to convince themselves that, in today’s world, we live in an era of irrefutable equality. They believe that western enacted white supremacy that birth the privileges attained through Light Supremacy is now fundamentally a thing of the past. They have bought the BIG LIE that people rich with melanin have not worked hard enough to succeed. The fact of the matter is; light skin Blacks have never lived in the skin of their profoundly Melaninated brothers and sisters.

One of the most dangerous aspects of light supremacy is that most people are unaware of their preferences for lighter skin. Media images in western societies help to sustain the concept of colorism and work hard every day work to ensure that it remains deeply ingrained in all cultures.

Case in point: On September 8, 2014, a prominent Nigerian kings, and his four wives visited London. The Nigerian King was well within his legal and culture rights to have four wives. What I find concerning is; although Nigeria is the most populated country in Africa, with some of the most beautiful dark-skin women in the world, all four of the King’s wives are very light skin. Some in London speculated in they had had their skin bleached. This situation is a blatant case of colorism (light supremacy), the process of discrimination that privileges light-skinned people of color over their dark-skinned counterparts.

It is a global embarrassment that the color of one’s skin continues to influence our lives in powerful ways around the globe. People of color with dark skin continue to pay a price for their color, and the light skinned continue to benefit from their association with whiteness. This world will continue to be a miserable and unbalanced place as long as systemic racism rules the world. White/light supremacy; allows the lightest-skinned peoples to continue to receive the highest social status; followed by the brown-skinned, and finally the black-skinned who are at the bottom of the social hierarchy.

More importantly; colorism gives white/light skin people a sense of entitlement, generates perks and advantages, and elevates their status in the world. It is unquestionable that skin color prejudice results in reduced opportunities for those who are discriminated against on the basis of their Melanin. U.S. President Barack H. Obama, who is light-skinned and of mixed-race, has an intellectual and sophisticated understanding of the historical complexity of Black people and Race; hence, he equally respects the humanity of all people.

As President Barack Obama wrapped up his recent visit to Kenya, he made three profound points. Although he was speaking primarily to African leaders and African people, his statements apply to all nations and all people:

1)   President Obama said, “Every country and every culture has traditions that are unique and help make that country what it is, but just because something is part of your past doesn’t make it right; it doesn’t mean it defines your future”.

I say, this statement is so profound to the lives of Black people. We have for generations live under the physical, legal, spiritual, and financial rules of white supremacy. “Just because something is part of your past doesn’t make it right; it doesn’t mean it defines your future,”

2)   The President further stated; “Any nation that fails to educate its girls or employ its women and allow them to maximize their potential is doomed to fall behind the global economy.

I Say, All nations must educate their entire people without exception. It is our duty to promote ways that will enable Melaninated people globally, to maximize their potential.

3)   In a sports analysis, The President said, “imagine if you have a team and don’t let half of the team play. I Say; America is a great and prosperous nation; however, smaller and developing nations are advancing at such rapid pace. If America doesn’t start using the talents of all its people, “the other half of the team”, Its ability to keep up with global technological changes will become the one number challenge.

This young man represents the other half of the team: Ufot Ekong, a Nigerian student has achieved the highest grades at a Japanese university for the past 50 years, while solving a mathematical equation which was unsolvable 30 years ago, in his first semester. Ufot Ekong achieved a first in electrical engineering at Tokai University in Tokyo, scoring the best marks since 1965.

Now is the time for Melaninated people to write our narratives and recapture our stolen legacy. Historically, we were the people first explorers and we shared our knowledge with civilizations across the world.  It is our time again; therefore, we must realize that “the greatest threat towards the global Black family having a magnificent future is the lack of knowledge of Melaninated people’s magnificent past”.