Certain contemporary behaviors can unintentionally echo painful chapters of the past. One reoccurring trend that has recently resurfaced involves individuals painting their faces black or a dark shade, turning off the lights, and attempting to scare someone entering the room. While this may appear harmless on the surface as a prank, painting one’s face black carries a long and deeply troubling history as a racist practice called blackface.

Blackface is not simply makeup or a joke. It is part of a larger cultural pattern rooted in caricature, exclusion, and dehumanization. For generations, it shaped how people with dark complexions were portrayed, understood, and treated. Even when used without malicious intent, actions that resemble blackface can reopen old wounds, reinforce harmful stereotypes, and minimize the lived experiences of those who have been marginalized.

Blackface is one example of a broader phenomenon: cultural patterning. Cultural patterning refers to the ways harmful images, assumptions, and narratives become normalized over time. These patterns shape how we see one another, how we interpret behavior, and how we understand history—even when we are not aware of them.

By learning to recognize these patterns, we gain the ability to see beyond the surface. We begin to understand why certain actions carry weight, why some images persist, and why historical context matters. This project uses cultural patterning as a lens to help participants explore the gap between intention and impact, and to understand how inherited narratives continue to influence present‑day interactions.