Hi!

Thank you for ensuring an evolved future by signing this petition to end colorism. Colorism is taught to each generation through prejudiced definitions of blackness and darkness. I truly believe that humans can step toward more evolved, healthier, + more equitable ways of being as we navigate word choices. Any shifts made to remove the normalization of racist language elevate us all.

Far too often these important conversations about the power of a word + more specifically who is given the power to define it - are disregarded. Too often those in power (dictionary editors, publishing + media corporations, institutions, etc.) who benefit from racist hierarchies - fight to deny us all the chance to rightfully engage this equity work for our species. We each must do the work to dismantle racist and colorist iconography. We must demand that our representatives + institutions work with us to remove prejudiced symbolism and words that hinder our healing together.

I am dark-skinned. Daily, I endure the abusive result of the persistent normalization of archaic colorist language that cruelly demonizes all things/beings dark and unfairly assigns brutal definitions/connotations to blackness.

It is criminal that we still teach children to use decidedly hateful dictionary definitions for "black" and "dark" that were concocted centuries ago by white-identified and light-skinned beings with low moral intelligence. These pathological word definitions were selected not only in order to traumatize and brutalize black and dark-hued beings - but also to elevate, protect and imbue lighter-hued and white beings with preferential treatment. We must remove these fetid vestments of hate - we must take off the layers of harm.

Please join me + 23,000 supporters (and rising!) in our request for a meeting with Merriam-Webster Dictionary Editor-at-Large Peter Sokolowski to discuss the possibilities. Read our petition at TheBlackFlip.com to help shift the dictionary definition of Blackness #TheBlackFlip #EvolveTheDictionary #ThePowerofWords