China Galland

“For some, the blackness or darkness of the Madonna remains unresolved. Some claim that the Madonna is black because she survived fires that destroyed all but her; others say that she was darkened by candle smoke. I say that she is dark because she has entered so many lives on fire, because she's absorbed so much suffering. Some conclude that the Madonna is black for no reason, that her darkness means nothing. Others say she is a symbol, an archetype, psyche's shadow. I say that the Black Madonna is all these things and that she is a black woman, a woman of color, a brown woman, a red woman, and more. She is not white. She is more, she includes all colors. She is dark because we come in so many colors, hues, and shades, and no one, no one is to be left out.”
― China Galland, Longing for Darkness: Tara and the Black Madonna