the Classics in Color
Our Story
Imaan Ansari founded “the Classics in Color” while attending Trinity School in New York City. She has been learning Latin since sixth grade, and loves reading, interpreting, and discussing literature through many different mediums. She is deeply interested in the question of what constitutes a “Classical language” since she believes there is a lack of recognition for early societies of the East. This curiosity plays into Imaan’s passion for raising awareness and representation for people of color in the field of Classics.
Imaan seeks to promote access to the Classics because a study of the ancient world illuminates the many connections between past histories and modern culture. Imaan is fascinated by the origins of what surrounds her, drawing together seemingly distinct entities. Imaan hopes to use “the Classics in Color” as a platform to extend this inspiration and present an invitation for others to join her.
Imaan strongly believes that current institutions and belief systems date back to the roots of a Classical era. By cultivating a conversation around the Classics that is open to truly ALL, the growth of appreciation, understanding, and open mindedness will debunk the assumption that Classics is a faraway field with which only an elite echelon can interact. Imaan constantly returns to the designation of a Classical language, an ever-growing definition that should include rather than exclude.
Mission Statement
In order to challenge Eurocentricity in the Classics, we, as a global society, must redefine what a “Classic” is, to acknowledge the languages of the East that are often left out of the Greco-Roman sphere–examples of which are Arabic, Sumerian, and Sanskrit. Then, the people within these societies, often identifying as people of color, can be recognized for their contributions to the Classical world. We must also reframe the lens in which we view Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece, since a common misconception is that both societies were “all white.” “The Classics in Color” celebrates all voices, standing against silence; everyone must be heard, seen, valued, and respected.
“The Classics in Color” serves two core purposes: to amplify the voices, works, and opinions of people of color in areas including but not at all limited to Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece, and to emphasize the relevance of the Classics, as we broadly and more reflectively define, to our modern world.