Meet Nyakim Gatwech, the South Sudanese model who’s teaching people not to be afraid of the dark. With her deeply pigmented skin and fierce determination, she’s breaking down the barriers of conventional beauty, and encouraging others to do exactly the same. The 24-year-old burgeoning fashion icon, who now lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has no shame about her melanin, and she makes sure the world is aware. “My chocolate is elegant. So is what I represent… A nation of warriors,” she captioned one of her many Instagram photos, which routinely exceed 10 thousand likes each. In another, she details an experience in which an Uber driver suggested she try ‘bleaching’ her skin – and her only response was laughter. “You won’t believe the kind of questions I get and the kind of looks I get for having this skin.” Gatwech is not only an advocate for diversity in the fashion industry, but also a voice for Black rights around the world. She’s even been dubbed “Queen of the Dark,” a title she happily accepts. “Black is bold, black is beautiful, black is gold… Don’t let American standards damage your African soul.” Love the skin you live in, no matter what colour or shade it may be!
