Erica Campbell’s daughter shared some heartbreaking news with her mother about her treatment in school over her complexion.
The Mary Mary singer’s child with producer husband Warryn Campbell told her mother that she’s been bullied because of her dark skin.
“It was in the fifth grade and these kids were playing a game with a bunch of girls and guys over there,” 13-year-old Krista told her mother for the first time on TVOne’s “We Are the Campbells” Tuesday, July 10. “And I was like, ‘Oh, what are you guys doing?’ And they’re like, ‘We don’t want no darkies’ or whatever. And I just kinda, like, walked away and I was really sad and I cried.”
The confession moved Erica into stunned silence.
“I never heard this story before,” she said in a confessional. “I never heard that somebody called my child ‘darkie.’ I can’t go back in time but I wish I could. I wish I could.”
Another scene from the episode saw Krista breakdown the colorism issue further as she highlighted the fact that most guys at her school talk to light-skinned girls and even mentioned the light-skinned-dark-skinned pairings in her own family.
When Erica explained that there are many “beautiful brown women everywhere” — including Gabrielle Union and Kelly Rowland, her daughter dropped the following gem.
“You’re light skinned so you don’t really know exactly how it feels,” Krista says.
In response, several Twitter users shared their thoughts on Krista’s issue.
“Erica Campbell’s daughter talked about colorism and not feeling wanted and used all the women in her family as examples (light women with dark-skinned men). Children notice things and it informs how they see themselves and their place in the world.”
“That video of Erica Campbell and her daughter truly broke my heart.”
“Damn! This made me cry!! My daughter is 8 and she’s always asked is her hair is pretty and she’s always talking her skin color! I’m light and she’s dark and ask why?? So every day I tell her, she beautiful, smart, strong and courageous!! This world is so cruel.”
