Introducing Nyakim Gatwech – the stunning model known as the ‘Queen of the Dark’ 🌟
A woman was taken aback when her Uber driver offered unsolicited advice about her stunning skin. Instead of getting upset, the fashion icon known as the “Queen of the Dark” laughed it off and turned the encounter into a powerful lesson.
Read on to discover what the Uber driver said and how she transformed the moment into a teachable experience!
Nyakim Gatwech, who spent her early years in refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya, initially thought moving to America would be like heaven. But upon arriving in Buffalo at age 14, she found herself facing harsh judgments about her deeply pigmented skin.
View this post on Instagram
The South Sudanese model, now based in Minnesota, endured years of bullying for her dark complexion, with hurtful comments like, “You don’t take showers, that’s why your skin is dirt,” and “Smile so we can see you, Nyakim.”
View this post on Instagram
In class, the teacher would call on her, and a kid would mockingly say, “Who are you talking to? We can’t see her.” Such experiences left Nyakim crying alone, longing to fit in. At one point, she even considered bleaching her skin. “When I came to America from a refugee camp, I cried myself to sleep after being bullied about my skin,” she revealed. Her own sister, who had bleached her skin, advised against it, saying, “I’m not going to let my daughter or you do it.”
View this post on Instagram
Now celebrated as the “Queen of the Dark,” Nyakim has overcome discrimination from designers, makeup artists, and fellow models. Her radiant confidence and love for her rich, dark skin inspire her 962,000 Instagram followers. “My chocolate is elegant. So is what I represent… A nation of warriors,” she proudly declares in one post. Fans can’t get enough of her striking beauty, praising her melanin and the divine artistry of her appearance.
A few years ago, Nyakim recounted an encounter with an Uber driver who suggested she bleach her skin. “He said, ‘Wow, you’re dark,'” she recalled, laughing at his ignorance. The driver believed life would be easier if she were lighter. Nyakim’s response was firm: “[Even if] being lighter would make my life easier, I’d rather take the [hard] road.”
View this post on Instagram
Sharing the story on Instagram with a stunning photo of herself and three other dark-skinned Sudanese women, Nyakim wrote, “A country with people so dark you won’t believe your eyes… skin so rich and teeth so bright. Gosh, how I love my country, my people, and everything that comes with it.”
Her followers quickly offered their support, with one commenting, “I guess he did not get the memo… black is beautiful.” Another added, “I love you for loving you,” while a third said, “Why would we ever want to mess up something so beautiful?”
When asked what advice she would give young black girls facing similar challenges, Nyakim told Yahoo Beauty, “You are beautiful, you are unique, and there are people who love you just the way you are. They say the darker the cherry, the sweeter the juice. Embrace your darkness!”
