Meet Nyakim Gatwech – a model nicknamed ‘Queen of the Dark’
The woman was really surprised when her Uber driver unexpectedly gave her a tip on how to care for her amazing skin.
The fashion icon, known as the “Queen of the Dark,” confidently embraced her stunning beauty, laughing off his comments.
Continue reading to discover the valuable lesson she learned from the Uber driver’s words!
Nyakim Gatwech believed that moving to America after growing up in refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya would be akin to living in paradise. Upon arriving in Buffalo at the age of 14, Gatwech found herself spending many hours by herself, shedding tears over the criticisms of her dark skin tone.
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The model from Minnesota, originally from South Sudan, endured years of bullying due to her radiant dark skin, hearing hurtful comments such as, “You don’t bathe. That’s why your skin is dirty,” and “Smile so we can spot you, Nyakim. You’re invisible.”
During class, the teacher would ask a question and call out, ‘“Oh, Nyakim, can you answer that?’ A student would respond, ‘Who are you talking to? We can’t see her. She’s not here.’ The entire class would burst into laughter, and I would simply cry,” the woman, now 31 years old, shares with Cosmopolitan.
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The young and impressionable girl simply desired to blend in, yet found it challenging as unknown men placed bets on whether she was wearing leggings or if her skin was naturally that dark.
The beauty revealed, “I once contemplated the idea of lightening my skin. Upon arriving in America from a refugee camp in Africa at the age of 14, I resided in Buffalo, New York. I would often find myself in tears at night due to the bullying I faced regarding my skin color. It is disheartening to see numerous stunning Sudanese women with dark skin resorting to skin bleaching.”
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The model later disclosed that her very own sister is among the Sudanese women who have lightened their skin. “My own sister did it. However, when I mentioned that I wanted to [after residing in America for a few months], she firmly refused. She said, ‘I won’t allow my daughter to do it, nor you, nobody.’”
Queen of the Dark
The woman, now known as Queen of the Dark, has faced discrimination from designers, makeup artists, and other models, but she finds strength in overcoming the negativity.
Gatwech’s self-confidence and incredible adoration for her deep chocolate skin is reinforced by her 962,000 loyal followers on Instagram.
“My chocolate is elegant. So is what I represent…A nation of warriors,” she writes in one post.
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Fans just can’t seem to get their fill of the stunningly gorgeous woman.
“Omgggggg I love your skin and melanin,” writes one fan, while another says, “love your beautiful skin tone so much! God makes beautiful creations such as you to remind us of His magnificence!”
Gatwech expresses gratitude for the strong support, stating, “I have come to embrace and love myself…Now, I am unaffected by the negativity. I embrace my skin, I love myself, and I am no longer insecure about my skin. I no longer consider myself ugly. I have confidence in myself.”
‘Stupidest questions’
A couple of years back, Gatwech shared an incident involving an Uber driver who questioned whether she had ever contemplated bleaching her one-of-a-kind skin.
Gatwech shared with Cosmopolitan that during a conversation with a driver, he commented, “Wow, you’re dark.” She responded by laughing and questioning why he thought she should be lighter. The driver explained that life would be easier for her, especially in relationships and job opportunities. However, Gatwech expressed her preference for taking the harder road, even if being lighter would make her life easier.
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She adds, “I’m used to people asking the stupidest questions ever [about my skin].”
Gatwech later posted the story on Instagram, featuring a stunning photo of herself and three other beautiful Sudanese women with dark skin.
She pens, “A nation filled with individuals of such deep complexion that you’ll doubt your own eyes…skin so vibrant and teeth so dazzling. Oh, how I adore my homeland, my fellow citizens, and all that it encompasses.”
She proceeded to describe her encounter with the Uber driver: “I asked my Uber driver the other day, and he said, ‘Don’t take this the wrong way, but if you were offered $10,000, would you bleach your skin?’ I couldn’t even respond, I started laughing so hard. Then he said, ‘So that’s a no?’ and I was like, ‘Hell to the yeah, that’s a no! Why on earth would I ever bleach this beautiful melanin that God blessed me with?’ Then he said, ‘So you see it as a blessing?’”
Gatwech received immediate praise and support from her followers, who quickly jumped in to show their admiration.
“I guess he did not get the memo…black is beautiful,” writes one fan.
“I love you for loving you,” shares a second. A third adds, “Why would we ever want to mess up something so beautiful?”
You are stunning, you are exceptional, and there are individuals who cherish you for who you are. Remember, the darker the berry, the sweeter the juice. Embrace your uniqueness!
