Where do I start? Well I guess I’ll start with why I am writing this article. I am writing this to shed light on a situation that many people may not know about or understand fully. This has proven to be especially true for me in the African American community. I’m talking about Albinism. I want to refer to a line in a very popular song that came out in 2009! The song was performed by Keri Hilson and Lil Wayne and titled “Turning me on”. Lil Wayne’s part he said a very key line: “I know that got you kinda hype, my ice is Albino White” – a clever metaphor if I do say so myself. One of the components of being Albino is having little to no pigmentation, snow white skin, with a reddish or yellowish tone, green, blue, red or hazel eyes, blonde, red or white hair.

Albino’s can be found in any species or living creatures and in human’s and Albino children is created from two recessive genes. Now if you want a biology lesson feel free to check Wikipedia or other educational resources. I’m a Black albino woman who grew up in an all black neighborhood on the Southside of Chicago and boy was that “fun”. My childhood experiences were very challenging to say the least, because I had no one in my immediate circle to identify with so I thought of myself as ugly and awkward. Due to the teasing and verbal and sometimes physical assault I received because of being Albino I believed it. It took many years before I conquered that “demon” and learned to love myself.

Overall, my family tried to always treat me the same as any other person. Unfortunately the world didn’t feel the same way about my very light complexion. When I begin dating at the age of 17 I got caught up. A lot of guys either were turned off or saw me as an exotic notch under their belt and would say or do anything to “get that thang” ! That includes saying that they loved me or pretending to be my boyfriend etc, etc…… It wasn’t until I got in my mid twenties that I realized my true self worth and begin to just say: No! Many years prior I searched and searched for some physical affirmation of my beauty through people I saw on TV, people in my immediate circle and people’s approval of me in any form that I could get. Because I couldn’t find it in physical form, I was forced to begin to accept me for me! I begin to accept my pale skin, and strawberry blonde hair, my big pink lips and wide nose that resided on a very curvy black female form.

I also begin to accept the fact that there are people in this world of many cultures and backgrounds who will never accept me. To this day, I am still learning this lesson. As an adult I have been in corporate America for 10+ years. People try to deem “ghetto Black folks” as ignorant but honey you ain’t seen nothing until you have seen ignorant White folks and people of other races. The problem is many of them have a “ADA” clause and in their corporate bi-laws requiring them to hire people with disabilities but it only serves as a blanket statement as it doesn’t reflect the attitudes and behavior of management, co-workers and peer groups. In other words, sure they will hire a person of with a disability, but that does not guarantee that they will respect, appreciate or support your being there or the differences that come with you. Therein lies the constant struggle I experience whenever I enter a new work environment. People have a general need, an urge, even an extreme desire to understand everything and everyone in their environment. Looking at me, your immediate reaction would be one of confusion. You cannot decipher what I am. But you do know that I am something different.

I have come to realize if a person in a position of power is uncomfortable with a person who is albino working with them because they “just can’t figure them out”…. Your a** is as good as out! Now I know you’re thinking, “well Miss albino woman you do appear to have a little bit of sass, perhaps that is the issue.” I do have a little sass BUT is that not the hallmark of a Black woman whose foundation began in an urban setting? That alone does not define other Black women and nor should my albinism. Also there is a time and place for everything and I have always been an top notch employee and still gotten crap. For example, about getting reasonable accommodations for my visual impairment. Oh yeah, albinos are usually visually impaired—some are near sighted and some far sighted. So at times, I might need the font on my work computer made larger, or a bigger monitor. But nothing outrageous.

So in short because of my experiences and constant struggle, I am sure there are some young albino girls or boys who constantly doubts themselves because their family/friends treat them differently, they are being picked on or teased. To them I say LOVE YOURSELF INSPIGHT OF Others Ignorance! Don’t allow other people’s ignorance to be your crucifixion! And for the person or persons that are belittling and harassing someone who is albino or with any kind of disability or difference- Shame on You! You’re just letting the world know how insecure you are. This is especially true for African Americans who engage in this behavior or other people of color. We should be the last ones on earth with prejudice and discrimination in our hearts. If you want to take a look at some wonderfully talented and progressive albino men and women visit: www.albinism.org/ or you can check out these individuals and read their stories and struggle: Diandra forrest , Shaun Ross, and Victor Vernado.

Written By: Taleice Johnson