Dark Skin in Ivory Towers

Wellesley is an elite women’s college located about fifteen miles south of Boston, Massachusetts. I love the campus (the pollen, not so much). The school has a powerful mission to train women who have a commitment “not to be ministered unto, but to minister.” The words are inscribed on the seal in Latin "Non ministrari, sed ministrare." The undergraduates at Wellesley are women who will make a difference in the world, and alumnae of Wellesley are making a difference in the world. In a world where women’s bodies and minds are under siege, I am passionate about supporting Wellesley (and other hubs of women’s education) that cultivate intellect and courage in women. Now, here’s the problem. My alma mater has set lofty goals, and time and time again we miss the mark.

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What Problems Can Pretty Eyes Solve?

As I pointed to in my previous post on beauty, white supremacist beauty standards are the norm in much of the Western world. In this post, I expound on the issue of beauty using as my conversation partner The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. I am going to focus on the blue eye aspect of the book today, in future posts, I will talk about the themes of family, fear, and love that arise in it. 

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