Participate: the paper bag test The paper bag test used to determine one's fitness to enter certain public places. Skin lighter than a brown paper grocery bag could pass, darker skin could not pass. The paper bag test is an art project that seeks individuals to tell about their experiences on colourism. This is an invitation for you to participate and tell your story of how your life has been affected by colourism. I will need a photograph of you as a small child, a current photograph, and a DVD (mini DV, NTSC or PAL format), of you discussing the seven questions below. Your submission of video recordings and images to the paper bag test constitutes permission to use them to create and exhibit videos and reproductions for artistic exhibition, publication, and promotion of the paper bag test project. Credit for the original source material will be given whenever possible. Please include your contact info with your submission, so I can keep you notified of the progress of the work and upcoming screenings and exhibitions. The purpose of this project to help folks tell their stories and hopefully move closer to ending racism in our society.
1. How has colourism affected you? 2. Describe your skin colour. Do you feel that the colour of your skin affects how people treat you? 3. How has your skin colour affected your relationship with other family members and/or friends who might be lighter or darker than you? 4. What is one event related to your skin colour that changed the way you see yourself within 5. How does a person’s skin colour affect your choices of friends and partners? 6. If you have children, does their skin colour affect the way you perceive or treat them? Would you prefer your children to be of lighter skin colour? Why? 7. Did your parents treat you and your siblings differently based on your skin colour?
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