🎀💭Unhindered Chronicles [Season 2]_ Pretty Prejudice….Unpacking Racism, Colorism and The Normalized Lies. {Part 1: Understanding Racism}💭🎀

Alright my glossy, intelligent, slightly dangerous dolls—come sit pretty for a second 💋 Life has been doing the absolute most since my last Blogazine, but we’ve finally stepped back into our power era. Clarity? Back. Autonomy? Restored. Mind? Sharp, moisturized, and unbothered. Now… yes. I did miss Black History Month this year. Tragic, I know. But if you know me, you know I don’t do anything halfway—so we’re making up for it by going full glam, full truth, full pressure on a topic that actually matters. And babes… if you have friends, family, crushes, situationships, or even a group chat with people from different ethnic backgrounds? This conversation isn’t optional. It’s required reading. So what are we talking about today?

Oh you already know. Racism. Colorism. Bigotry. The whole unseasoned trio. Cue the imaginary crowd: “Ugh here she goes again with the ‘radical’ takes…” —Babe. Relax your edges. This isn’t radical. It’s educational. See, one thing I’ve noticed? The moment someone starts speaking intelligently about race, suddenly people act like you just pulled up in a beret quoting Black Panther Party manifestos. Like… no. Calm down. We can acknowledge the reality of the world and still look cute doing it. Because let’s be real—people will debate racism harder than they debate gas prices… and have you seen gas prices lately? Exactly.

But the second we bring up history—real history, not the cute little two-page summaries schools love to hand out—it’s suddenly “too much.” So we’re just gonna… skip over Jim Crow laws? Pretend Tulsa Race Massacre wasn’t a thing? Act like cross-cultural solidarity movements just magically didn’t exist? Yeah… no. That’s not how this works. And listen—if just hearing these terms makes you uncomfortable, I need you to be very honest with yourself: You’re not afraid of misinformation… you’re afraid of information. Because once you really start reading—like diving into voices such as Frederick Douglass—or even analyzing controversial texts like Willie Lynch Letter… whew. Baby.

You start seeing patterns that didn’t just disappear. They evolved. They adapted. They put on lip gloss and learned how to code-switch. And suddenly the world starts making a little too much sense. But don’t just take my word for it—go to a museum, talk to a historian, pick up a real book. I’ll wait. 💅🏽 Now I know you’re asking:

“Okay Jag… where are you taking us with this?”

Glad you asked, gorgeous. Let’s start with the fan favorite—the one people love to misunderstand, remix, water down, and pretend doesn’t apply to them: Racism. And pause—before anyone gets defensive and starts typing paragraphs in their imaginary notes app:

Yes, I know it’s not everyone. Yes, I know there were moments of unity, like during the Underground Railroad.

But babe… listen closely: Just because some people chose solidarity doesn’t erase the systems that were built—and are still benefiting others today. Now let’s get into the definition, because this isn’t vibes-based. This isn’t “your opinion vs my opinion.” This is factual.

Racism is the prejudice, discrimination, or oppression directed at individuals or groups based on race, ethnicity, or skin color.

Simple. Clean. No wiggle room.

“But Jag… what does that actually look like?”

Oh I’m so glad you asked, because this is where people start getting… quiet. Racism isn’t just someone standing in a corner yelling slurs like it’s 1952. It’s layered.

It shows up as:     •    Believing one race is naturally “better” than another     •    Talking to certain people differently based on how they look     •    Those “jokes” that somehow always punch down (yeah… those ones)     •    The casual use of slurs (So yes Har A and Hard R)—or thinking you can remix them because you “heard it in a song”     •    Microaggressions disguised as curiosity (“Wow you’re so articulate!” Or a fan favorite “Wow you speak so well for a Black girl” …Babe be serious) My personal favorite though?

People who swear they’re “not racist” but somehow… their behavior keeps telling on them. Like babe… your mouth said one thing, but your actions did a full exposé. So as we move through this Blogazine, I want you to do one thing: Stay open. Not defensive. Not dismissive. Not scrolling fast because it’s “getting uncomfortable.” Because growth? Isn’t always cute. But understanding? Now that’s what makes you powerful. 💋

Alright babes… now we’re stepping into the part of the conversation that isn’t just gloss and pretty words.

This is the part that sits heavy.

So stay with me. 💋

Since we’re starting with racism, we need to be very clear about something people love to overlook:

Racism isn’t one thing. It has layers. Categories. Systems. Patterns.

And if you don’t understand the layers, you’ll miss it when it’s right in front of your face—smiling, joking, or even hiring you.

Let’s break it down the EJ way—pretty, clear, and impossible to ignore:

1. Interpersonal Racism This is the one people pretend is the only kind—because it’s the easiest to call out. Slurs. Insults. “Jokes” that aren’t funny unless you’re punching down. Yes… the Hard R, the remixed versions, and every creative attempt people make to disguise hate as humor. Ugly behavior in a loud outfit.
2. Systemic / Institutional Racism Now this one? She’s quieter—but way more dangerous. This is about systems that consistently disadvantage certain groups. Lower wages for the same work. Fewer opportunities. Being pushed into the hardest, most labor-heavy roles with no pathway out. It’s not always shouted—it’s structured.
3. Ideological Racism This is where people start getting… creative in the worst way. It’s the belief system—the lies people tell themselves to justify harm. Things like claiming certain groups were “built” for labor, or naturally inferior. It’s giving pseudo-intellectual nonsense with historical consequences.
4. Covert Racism And this one? Oh she’s sneaky. This is the side-eye. The “random” checks. The subtle targeting. Being questioned when you weren’t even the one doing anything. Historically? It looked like being asked for “proof of freedom.” Today? It shows up in ways people try to brush off as coincidence. (It’s not.)

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Still with me, doll?

Feel that little discomfort creeping in?

Good. That means you’re actually processing, not just skimming.

Now here’s something that needs to be said clearly:

Racism is not something you are born with. It is learned. Conditioned. Reinforced.

Through environments. Through media. Through systems that quietly reward certain behaviors and normalize others.

From targeted marketing in specific communities… to policies like housing discrimination (yes, we will absolutely get into that later)… to the way certain narratives are pushed and repeated until they feel like “truth.”

It’s taught.

And anything that is taught? Can be unlearned.

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Now… let’s get into the part people get real uncomfortable about.

Language.

Specifically—the word that people keep trying to debate like it’s a group project.

You already know which one I’m talking about.

And let me be crystal clear before we even go further:

You will never hear that word come out of my mouth. Not in music. Not casually. Not as a “term of endearment.”

Because for me? That energy is not something I’m entertaining.

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So where did it come from?

Historically, it traces back to the Spanish and Portuguese word “negro,” meaning Black. Over time, that word was twisted, weaponized, and reshaped into something far more violent within English-speaking societies.

And no—this is not one of those “it just means friend” situations.

That word became one of the most degrading terms in the English language.

During slavery, it wasn’t just a label—it was a tool.

A word used to categorize human beings as:

“Obedient” vs “disobedient”

“Safe” vs “dangerous”

“Acceptable” vs “punishable”

It wasn’t harmless. It wasn’t playful.

It was often the last thing people heard before being abused, dehumanized, or killed.

Let that sit for a second……

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Now here comes the question that somehow… still circulates:

“Why can’t everyone say it?”

“If it’s in music, why is it off-limits?”

And this is where the conversation stops being surface-level and starts getting emotional.

Because the answer isn’t about permission. It’s about history, trauma, and context.

When enslaved Africans began reshaping language for themselves, altering that word into a different ending—it wasn’t for aesthetics.

It was survival.

It was taking something violent and trying to strip it of its power—creating a version that existed within their community, on their terms.

That does not erase where it came from.

It does not erase what it meant.

And it definitely does not make it universal.

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Here’s the part people don’t always want to hear:

Even if someone personally “gives you a pass,” that does not translate to everyone else.

Because you’re not interacting with one person—you’re interacting with a history.

And history doesn’t clock out just because the vibe feels friendly.

There are people who will hear that word—regardless of your intent—and immediately feel the weight behind it.

Not because they’re “too sensitive,” but because they are aware.

Because that history didn’t disappear. It echoes.

Sometimes in tone. Sometimes in context. Sometimes in ways that are hard to explain but very easy to feel.

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So let me say this plainly, with love and firmness:

If you truly do not support racist behavior, then using language rooted in that history—especially when it does not belong to you—shouldn’t feel like a loss.

It should feel like alignment.

And for my Pan-African dolls reading this?

If you feel disconnected from that word, if it doesn’t sit right in your spirit—you are absolutely allowed to reject it.

Every version. Every variation.

Reclaiming is a choice. And so is releasing.

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At the end of the day, this isn’t about controlling language.

It’s about understanding weight.

And deciding—intentionally—what you choose to carry forward.

Because words?

They remember things.

Even when people pretend not to. 💋

Whew—baby… that was a lot, I know 😮‍💨💋

And the gag?

This is only part one of racism.

I could easily keep going (and trust me… I will), but we’re not about to overwhelm the dolls. We like our knowledge rich, digestible, and still cute.

So consider this your soft close—for now.

Let’s bring it in for a second:

At the end of the day, this all comes down to awareness and intention.

Every word you say?

Carries history.

Every joke, every “harmless” comment, every little phrase you pick up and repeat—it all means something, whether you intended it to or not.

And here’s the real tea:

You get to decide what kind of energy you align with.

Are you contributing to cycles that harm?

Or are you consciously choosing to move different?

Because being mindful isn’t about walking on eggshells—it’s about moving with clarity, respect, and self-awareness.

And that, my dolls?

Is what keeps your spirit elevated, protected, and powerful.

So as you step out of this first chapter, I want you to carry three things with you:

•    Stay conscious

•    Stay aware

•    And above all… stay safe

Because knowledge isn’t just power—it’s protection.

And we always protect the vibe over here. 💅🏽✨

Part two is coming soon… and trust me, we’re going even deeper.

Stay tuned, stay pretty, and stay intentional.

-Jag Out!