About Us
Own Your I AM (OYIA) is an organization birthed by Raven Roberts to erase the lines of colorism and the social injustice that comes from it. We believe that by erasing the lines of colorism we help mend broken people and broken communities.
We want to empower women to own who they are and not what the world says about them. We want to change the way the world views dark skin in all cultures by hosting panel and roundtable discussions, school outreach and raising awareness.
FOUNDER
RAVEN ROBERTS
Raven Roberts is a celebrity fashion stylist. She has been in the fashion industry for over 7 years. Her work has been seen on red carpets, TV, movies, magazines and more. Not only has she seen the effects of colorism firsthand in her personal interactions but in her industry on and off the runway.
Knowing the feelings and prejudices she has faced she wants no other woman or girl to have the same experiences.
VICE CHAIR/ DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH AND COMMUNICATIONS
EDLIN VERAS
.Edlin Veras is a Doctoral Candidate and researcher and educator in the department of sociology at the University of South Florida. His interest in colorism grew from his personal experiences of being both Black and Latino in the deep South.
His current research focuses on race, ethnicity, and colorism in the Dominican Republic. His previous research projects encompass the vast African diaspora, including the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean. He is a Fulbright Research Grant semi-finalist and has been published in the Journal of Sociology of Race and Ethnicity.