Introduction

Words are constantly changing in their acceptability and usage; however, what some people may deem as acceptable, to others it is less acceptable or unacceptable. Blacks have different skin variation, and they receive different terminologies to describe their skin colors. For example, some may consider using the word “coffee” as a polite way of calling blacks. Some may see the term as racist, but not everyone sees it as a negative term. Coffee has a significant relationship with slavery, colonialism, and apartheid that people find it as a term to use frequently. The terms, “light coffee,” “medium coffee” and “black coffee” derive from people’s attempt to categorize people regarding their skin colors and physical appearances.

Color Variation

People identify coffee roast by their color; light, medium and dark because some are naturally lighter or darker than others. These coffee roasts have different characteristics besides their color. Light coffee bean roast is light brown, color and tan and on the roasted beans they have oil. They also are the brightest and highest in acidity compared to the three roast levels.  Light roasts go by the name light or half city, cinnamon, or New England roasts. People use light roast for cuppings because their taste comes from the original coffee. A medium roast, on the other hand, compared to the light roast, it has a darker brown color, with some visible coffee oils. The oil makes them look richer than the light roast. Medium roasts, one can differentiate between acidity and body and have stronger flavor and aromas. After passing the roasting process, the medium roast takes a fuller body and becomes brighter. People refer to them as City, Regular, Breakfast, and American roasts. Dark roasts are dark brown almost turning black looking like chocolate. The oils are more visible in dark roasts beans than in medium and have bold bodies. The darker the roast, the less acidity it has. They are also richer in taste compared to the others. Given dark roasts are popular in Europe, people refer to them as French, Italian, Continental, and Spanish roasts.

How Coffee Color Variations Relates to Racism, prejudice, and hate

Just like coffee, skin color ranges across the globe for different humans. People differentiate roasted coffee by the skin color while skin color is the most superficial and obvious ways that human differs. Over human evolution, human complexion has evolved from light to dark mediated by cultural practices, genes, and geography. Coffee, on the other hand, is green, red and yellow and they change colors during the roasting process transforming from the bright colors to darkly colored beans. The same way people compare coffee by its color and have an opinion about it is the same they compare color skins. For example, dark-roasted coffee is “ugly” or “unattractive” to some because of its outer appearance, hence receiving hate from them, the same way dark-skins receive the hate from the society. However, people should not create an image based on the individuals’ color skin. Most white people believe in false biological differences that the skin of black people is thicker or their blood coagulates quicker than that of white people hence end up making biased and racist decisions and comments. This biasness creates hate and prejudice among different races.

What effects does this color variation have on races

Black skin comes in various varieties: brown, ebony, dark and more. Washington, D.C. for example, has the majority of the citizens, black and for decades, people know it as the Chocolate City. Some say it with pride and respect, not as an insult or looking down to the black community. Every person has a different attitude towards the description of another’s skin color with coffee. Blacks who get referred to light roasted coffee get more favored in this society than the dark coffee skin representation. They receive better treatment than other people of color, the same way one would prefer light roasted coffee because it is sweeter or perceived to be better than others. Some blacks or whites will describe the dark skin as ugly or less attractive in comparison with the African American people with lighter and fairer skin. The medium and light roasted coffee phenomenon has created a division and hierarchy within the blacks’ race in America. It has led to the black community receiving unjust and fair treatment, both from whites and black people but with lighter complexions. Even though years earlier slavery ended, black people continue carrying the weight of backlash and hate because of their variance in their brown skin.

Because of the love that light-skinned African Americans received from whites and blacks, more people of color are conforming to white attributes and become the “light roasted coffee” that most people love. As the coffee bean gets roasted to give it a better appearance, dark-skinned blacks are straightening their hair, wearing colored contact lenses, and bleaching their skin to conform to mainstream society. There is the fear that describing African-Americans using coffee varieties may have harmful effects on the mental health of young blacks. A lot of dark-brown skin people will question their beauty because of the mainstream society attitude that they receive. A person will receive

Is one color coffee bean better than the other?

People prefer coffee roast depending on their coffee strength, that is one person may prefer a light coffee roast to a dark coffee roast. Some people prefer the milder taste of coffee while others prefer strong coffee. Besides that, light roasted coffee is not popular amongst most people because of its acidity flavor compared to other coffees. However, some may overlook the acidity and prefer it because they grind better than the rest, but when using a coffee machine to the ground, they tend to turn into muck. The most preferred coffee is the medium roast coffee bean because it has more body and not too big such that it grinds better than the dark roast coffee.  Medium roasted coffee beans also have the advantage of having more aroma and a balanced flavor which is not much acidity compared to lighter beans. Some people may prefer a darker roast because they have more caffeine as compared to the light coffee bean. Most people have the misconception that light coffee bean means less caffeine and acidity, but that is not the case, the dark roasted coffee is richer in robust flavor and has more caffeine. Some people feel medium roasted beans are better than the rest since, during the roasting process, it places until before caramelization takes place. Also, according to coffee grinders medium roasted have medium caffeine, not too much or too less. Therefore, one can conclude it is the better coffee bean variety. Ultimately, the type of roast one chooses or prefers comes down to the flavor and strength they desire.

Explain coffee bean color vs. skin color and how it is related

Coffee, caramel, chocolate and other food items are things that people consume or desire but also to some it is the commodification of black people. Historically, coffee is a product of slave labor, and so, some find it alright to add to the commodification issue. Whites have a certain amount of privilege since in their day to day life, and it is unlikely for them to face any interpersonal or systemic kind of racism. Very rarely will you find a white person getting described as foam on a latte; however, different shades of brown will receive a vast number of color names. To some people, using coffee beans variation to represent a specific skin color reduces the effect of minorities. Some people believe that as dark coffee is stronger and aromatic making it more enticing than the lightly roasted bean which is retable to dark-skins as the stronger beings than the whites.

Moreover, there is the misconception that black or dark-skins does not crack, the same way during the roasting process, the dark coffee bean is the strongest as it comes first and has more body than the rest. Light coffee beans tend to be appealing to the eyes, and that is why people believe they are better in than the other flavors. On the other hand, light-skinned people are appealing. Today, dark-skins are turning to bleach agents to attain the light-skin color which the society deems as the attractive one. However, one should note that all skins are beautiful; what matters is the inner beauty; color should not define beauty. Notably, people should not determine coffee flavor using the outside color.

What does all of the coffee bean colors have in common and their differences?

All raw coffee beans are green in color, but it changes to its final color through the roasting process. This process affects coffee flavor majorly because of the heat that causes chemical changes to the coffee bean. Coffee lovers have a wide selection of coffee of options to choose from regarding the attitude they have towards tastes. Coffee differs in taste; their taste depends on the roasting time of the beans, and other factors such as the length and strength of the temperatures used when roasting, geographic location that the coffee grew in, harvesting style, brewing techniques among others.

Also, coffees differ in color; some are lighter than others hence the naming using their appearances. Immediately after harvesting, all the coffee beans are green in color and have an aroma resembling that of grass. The roasting process differentiates them into different colors, smells, and flavors. Also, depending on the amount of heat coffee beans absorb during that process, oils are extracted allowing the color to darken. For example, dark colored beans have more oil and less mass than those with a medium and light color.

Explain how color discrimination and the variation of coffee bean color relate.

People get discriminated because of their skin colors. For example, in offices, one will find that light-skinned people occupy the management and higher positions while dark-skins are in manual jobs. Markedly, in coffee shops where racism prevails light roasted coffee sell faster than a dark-roasted coffee bean. Different people, whether white or black have various word choices to they use when describing themselves and others. with the current discrimination and racial issues, people are afraid of using particular words as they fear they might offend someone. Some of the words and phrases that people use are ‘black coffee’ on blacks which are likely hurtful to the person. It does not mean that if the coffee bean is dark that it is automatically sweet, the same way there is no correlation that a darker human is automatically stronger than the other races.

Conclusion

Racism presents in different forms; it may either be a fetish, casual or too subtle that one fails to realize it until it had gone on for too long. Describing skin as food items is a common faux pas. Today, terms like “black coffee” or “light roasted coffee” which are apparent to almost everyone may have a different meaning for other communities. For example, calling a black American as a person with smooth caramel which is offensive and a lazy description. However, things are changing today, thanks to social media; minority group can now speak up on how they want to get represented and what makes them comfortable. There are other wonderfully evocative ways that majority or the whites can use when describing people of color without sacrificing their creative integrity or becoming unintentionally racist. People should opt in using other identifying characteristics rather than a shade of brownness in another’s skin. It is impossible to come into a conclusion about coffee taste by looking at its outer appearance. Likewise, one cannot compare people’ s strength and weaknesses by judging on their skin colors.