Nyakim Gatwech, a South Sudanese model who’s teaching people not to be afraid of the dark. She has intensely pigmented skin and is breaking down the barriers of conventional beauty. She encourages others to do exactly the same.
The 24-year-old fashion icon now lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and has no shame about her appearance, and is not shy about making 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. 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 an advocate for diversity in the fashion industry as well as a voice for Black rights around the world. She has 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 color or shade it may be!”
24-year-old Nyakim Gatwech is making waves in the fashion industry with her sumptuously dark skin.
Before the South Sudanese model found success, her unique beauty wasn’t celebrated by all.
In 2016, an Uber driver suggested she “bleach her skin,” implying that her deep complexion was nothing to love.
She simply laughed and has fully embraced her striking appearance.
“My chocolate is elegant. So is what I represent… A nation of warriors,” she captioned an Instagram photo.
She now lives in Minneapolis, Nyakim is a voice of encouragement for the Black community.
“You are beyond beautiful and the love I have for you is unconditional because you are me,” she wrote.
