A woman was utterly surprised when her Uber driver offered her an unsolicited tip on how to care for her remarkable skin.
Celebrating her striking beauty, the fashion icon, famously known as the “Queen of the Dark,” responded with laughter, dismissing his remarks with ease.
Read on to discover what the Uber driver said and how she transformed the situation into a learning opportunity!
Having spent her early years in refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya, Nyakim Gatwech envisioned America as a “heaven on earth.”
However, upon arriving in Buffalo at the age of 14, Gatwech found herself often alone, crying over the harsh judgments she faced due to her deeply pigmented skin.
Based in Minnesota and originally from South Sudan, the model endured years of bullying for her radiant dark complexion, with comments like, “You don’t take showers. That’s why your skin is dirty,” or, “Smile so we can see you, Nyakim. We can’t see you.”
“In class, for example, the teacher would ask a question and say, ‘Oh, Nyakim, can you answer that?’ A kid would say, ‘Who are you talking to? We can’t see her. She’s not here.’ The whole class would start laughing, and I would just cry,” the now 31-year-old woman shares with Cosmopolitan.
As a young girl desperate to fit in, it was tough when random men would bet on whether she was wearing leggings or if her skin was genuinely that dark.
“At one point, I did consider [bleaching my skin]. When I came to America from a refugee camp in Africa [at age 14], I lived in Buffalo, New York. I would cry myself to sleep after being bullied [about my skin],” she says. “There are so many beautiful dark-skinned Sudanese women who bleach their skin.”
Gatwech revealed that her own sister was among those who bleached their skin. “My own sister did it. But when I told her I wanted to [after living in America for a few months], she told me no. ‘I’m not going to let my daughter do it, or you, nobody.’”
Queen of the Dark
Now hailed as the Queen of the Dark, this woman – who has faced discrimination from designers, makeup artists, and even fellow models – feels empowered by overcoming negativity.
Gatwech’s confidence and profound love for her deep chocolatey skin are supported by her 962,000 loyal Instagram followers.
“My chocolate is elegant. So is what I represent… A nation of warriors,” she writes in one post.
Fans are captivated by her striking beauty.
“Omgggggg I love your skin and melanin,” one fan comments, while another says, “love your beautiful skin tone so much! God makes beautiful creations such as you to remind us of His magnificence!”
Responding to the overwhelming support, Gatwech states, “I grew to learn to love myself… Now, I am not bothered by it [the negativity]. I accept my skin, I love myself, and I’m not insecure about my skin anymore. I don’t think I’m ugly anymore. I have confidence in myself.”
‘Stupidest questions’
A few years ago, Gatwech recounts an encounter with an Uber driver who asked if she’d ever consider bleaching her unique skin.
“He said, ‘Wow, you’re dark,’” Gatwech tells Cosmopolitan about her conversation with the driver. “I just laughed. I wanted to know why he thought I should. He said because life would be easier for me. It would be easier for me to be in a relationship, or guys would be more attracted to me if I was lighter. If I was going to a job interview, I would get the job opportunities because I’m lighter. I just said, ‘[Even if] being lighter would make my life easier, I’d rather take the [hard] road.’”
She adds, “I’m accustomed to people asking the most absurd questions about my skin.”
Gatwech then shared her story on Instagram, accompanied by a stunning photo of herself with three other dark-skinned Sudanese women.
She wrote, “A nation 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.”
She detailed her encounter with the Uber driver: “[SIC] I was asked by my Uber driver the other day, he said, ‘Don’t take this offensively, but if you were given 10 thousand dollars, would you bleach your skin for that amount?’ 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 f*cking yeah, that’s a no. Why on earth would I ever bleach this beautiful melanin God blessed me with?’ Then he asked, ‘So you see it as a blessing?’”
Her followers quickly responded with praise and support.
“I guess he didn’t get the memo… black is beautiful,” one fan commented.
“I love you for loving you,” shared another. A third added, “Why would we ever want to mess up something so beautiful?”
When asked by Yahoo Beauty what advice she would give to young black girls facing similar challenges, she said, “You are beautiful, you are unique, and there are people who love you just the way you are. They say the darker the berry, the sweeter the juice. Embrace your darkness!”
Demi Moore, 60, Shines in Bikini Snaps and Reveals How She Keeps the Clock From Ticking
Even at the age of 60, Demi Moore, still looks stunning in swimsuits. While her appearance may seem like a mystery, Moore reveals her secrets lie in the power of self-care and cultivating a positive mindset. By placing a high value on her physical and mental well-being, the actress continues to radiate confidence and beauty.
She works out at home.
Many people choose to exercise at home instead of going to the gym, saving themselves the hassle of long commutes. It seems that Moore’s usual fitness routine isn’t as gym-centric as we thought.
In 2019, she admitted that she hadn’t been to the gym in over four years. On her Instagram, she shared her experience with The Mirror, a fitness system, and started her fitness journey with a short 15-minute dance-cardio session. “I haven’t exercised in, like, over four years. So, this is gonna be my next jam,” she shared.
She swims a lot.
Moore is often seen enjoying her time near the water, as evidenced by the numerous photos she shares on Instagram. “Cooling off in the Tropez suit,” she captioned some pictures of herself in a pool.
Swimming is widely recognized as an excellent form of exercise that not only helps tone muscles but also enhances strength and endurance. It’s no wonder Moore chooses to incorporate swimming into her fitness routine.
She spends a lot of time with her dog.
Moore has an adorable dog named Pilaf, and she loves sharing pictures and videos of him on Instagram. They do lots of fun things together, and recently, she posted a heartwarming video of them having a great time at the beach. The caption said, “Swimming lessons with Pilaf!”
Numerous studies have shown that owning a dog has many health benefits, like getting you more active and even helping to lower your blood pressure.
She believes beauty starts from within.
During a Goop panel discussion alongside fellow celebrity Gwyneth Paltrow, Moore shared her top skincare advice, emphasizing the importance of self-care from within.
“Look, I don’t have any super big secret. But I definitely think beauty starts on the inside. You can do anything you want to the outside, but if the inside isn’t looking or feeling good, then I don’t know if anything you do on the outside is going to be good enough,” she said.
After going through a string of challenging relationships and marriages, Demi Moore has reached a significant realization: before she can genuinely love someone else, she must prioritize loving herself completely and honoring her own desires. Now, at the age of 60, love has once again found its way into Moore’s life, and this time around, she is resolute in approaching it with a renewed outlook and making alternative decisions.
Preview photo credit demimoore / Instagram
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