Society can place a lot of pressures on women and their bodies, and South Sudanese model Nyakim Gatwech knows just as much as everybody else that people can be incredibly cruel towards others.
The 24-year-old up-and-coming model is unapologetic and unafraid to be herself, and it’s quickly paid off for the rising Fashion icon, who’s gaining tens of thousands of likes on her Instagram and currently has over 180,000 followers on the social media platform. However, her life was not always that easy, with everyone, including an Uber driver in 2016, noted her dark skin and commented that she should look into bleaching to be ‘lighter.’ She’s always been able to laugh off inappropriate comments about her skin, which is an uncontrollable and biological, but her ability to remain confident in her body has become a source of inspiration for so many girls and young women on the internet.
The now Minneapolis, Minnesota-based model has begun to encourage girls of color like herself to embrace their natural skin, with captions to her often glamorous photos like “My chocolate is elegant. So is what I represent… A nation of warriors,” and “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!” Her upbeat attitude will easily brighten up anyone that’s feeling self-conscious and will prove that everyone and anyone can feel beautiful and comfortable in their skin.
The stunning model is still an emerging star in the fashion world, but her viral fame is a true inspiration for young girls who may feel strange about their darker skin tones. While there are still major battles ahead for women of all colors, whether it be their skin color, weight, height, intellect, and more, sometimes it’s truly great to see that women who don’t necessarily fit under the umbrella of traditional forms of beauty being celebrated for the beauty both inside and out. She knows how to encourage people to truly embrace their differences and see it all as a strength.
We can’t wait to see what’s next for Nyakim Gatwech, who’s stunning editorial photos and equally powerful words makes her a truly special person that can help change Western perceptions of what it means to be beautiful in the modern age.
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