Loretta at graduation

LORETTA'S STORY

I have been asked by the American Vitiligo Research Foundation, Inc. to share how having Vitiligo has impacted my life. It is not often that a person has the chance to experience society's reaction to two different and very extreme personal circumstances. I am an African-American woman who has experienced the negative effects of Vitiligo for the past thirty-five years. I have experienced racism as a "Black" woman and as a "White" woman. I live in a predominantly Black Community and attend a predominantly Black Church and live and work in a society that still, unfortunately, perceives white skin and any other skin as a vice.

Loretta & her young children

Before the complete change in my skin, I was victimized by certain members of society, because of my brown skin. Now I experience victimization, because of my white skin. With the almost complete change in my skin color, people do not perceive me to be who I truly am.

The face that society sees is not the one I was born with. My heritage and ancestry is not so easily identifiable by those with whom I interact. This is a painful experience particularly, because I was raised with a love and appreciation for my cultural and ethnic ancestry.

Loretta & her children

This has had an impact on my family as well. My having Vitiligo has had a negative effect on my husband and our children. Some people mistakenly think my husband married a "White" woman and my children have been asked by their peers, if there mother is "White."

Beyond the physical challenges of this condition, there are the emotional and mental aspects as well, including a sense of isolation from others in your ethnic group. When the condition was in its most active stage, my face, arms and legs, were brown sprinkled with white spotty coloration's. Some people have refused to shake my hand or take money directly from me, and for the most part have treated me like I have a contagious disease.

Loretta Today

However, there is a positive side to the experiences I have had. It has made me more sensitive to the pain of others and caused me to be advocate for ending the ignorance, fear, and hatred associated with being or looking different from others.

It is through organizations such as the American Vitiligo Research Foundation, (AVRF) that these issues can be addressed and overcome. Spreading knowledge in a sensitive and caring way, and finding a cure is the focus of the AVRF, and I support their efforts.

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