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The Implications Of Skin Tone Stratification In Latinx Perspectives Of Race, Ashley Garcia '22

Student Scholarship

Though decades of scholarly literature have examined racial discrimination against Black folx by non-Hispanic whites, much remains unknown about anti-Blackness and its influence on a skin tone stratification system, or colorism, within the Latinx community. To investigate how racism and colorism are intrinsically linked, this study examines how Latinx folx self-identify, interact socially, and define race. As many as 22 interviews were conducted to discuss the interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships respondents had with race. From these interviews, I gather three main findings: 1) Latinx people have a difficult time defining “race” both individually and collectively, and as a result, struggle …