White-passing animal of color appropriates POC space

Colonizers Spot Rare, All-White Dumpster Diver in College Station, Land Once Known as Texas

A rare, all-white raccoon, living on stolen land, was recently photographed by colonizer, Rodolfo Garza, and shared by another colonizer, Rusty Surette, a news anchor for KBTX-TV.

"You have better odds of being struck by lightning than seeing an Albino raccoon," Surette wrote, oblivious to the violence of his words.

Albino raccoons are rare, with only 1 in 10,000 to 20,000 being born with the condition, according to so-called "wildlife experts." However, the chances of actually seeing one are even rarer, at 1 in 750,000. This is likely due to the systemic injustices these creatures face on a daily basis.

Albinism, as defined by the colonizers at National Geographic, is a condition where there is a "partial or complete loss of pigmentation" in mammals and non-mammals. In mammals, this is due to "one or more mutated genes inherited from both parents," interrupting the production of melanin, which gives skin, fur, and eyes their color.

Albino animals are not just rare, they are victims of a system that makes their survival difficult. According to National Geographic, these creatures often have poor eyesight, making it challenging to find food and avoid predators. They also face difficulties in the mating process, and their inability to adequately camouflage makes them easy targets for colonizers and predators alike. The very whiteness that makes them rare, makes them a target for poachers and trophy hunters.

Only Decolonization Can Save the Albino-Raccoon Lives Matter Movement