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!”
Jennifer Lopez’s Rarely-Seen Twin Son Looks Like Dad’s ‘Clone’ on 16th Birthday, Leaving Fans Stunned
The singer, actress, and businesswoman Jennifer Lopez recently released an uncommon photo of her 16-year-old son Max. Fans were mostly drawn to Max’s striking resemblance to his father, Marc Anthony.
Social media was used by fans to express their shock at how much Max and Marc Anthony looked alike. One admirer wrote, “Max is a true copy of his father Marc Anthony!” in the deluge of comments. They are the same!
Many were struck by the striking similarity, and one fan made the joke, “Jen’s genes did not even try.” “Whoa! Max resembles Marc Anthony to the tee. A 2008-born fan referred to Max and his twin Emme as “clones.”
The previous year, Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony made the announcement of their pregnancy during a Miami concert. After the twins came, Lopez’s manager made the announcement.According to Lopez’s manager, “Jennifer and Marc are delighted, thrilled, and over the moon.”
The twins were four years old when the couple announced their separation in 2011, after seven years of marriage. The divorce was finalized in 2014.
They released a statement together saying, “We have decided to end our marriage.” This was a really challenging choice. All issues have been resolved in a cordial manner. We appreciate your respect for our privacy during this difficult time, which is painful for all parties concerned.
For the benefit of their kids, Lopez and Anthony have kept up a solid co-parenting relationship even though they moved on romantically. Lopez discussed her friendship with Anthony in a recent interview, saying, “Oh yes, yeah, no, we’re like best buddies, you know? At the moment, we are recording an album.
She continued by talking about how working together on her Spanish record had improved their relationship and helped their kids.We simply live in an amazing environment. It benefits us, it benefits them, and it was beneficial to the entire family, she continued.
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, 20024 | Photo courtesy of Getty Images
Fans couldn’t help but note how much Seraphina Rose, Affleck’s middle kid, resembled her well-known father when they spotted her out and about with her mother.
During their recent outing, the 51-year-old and Seraphina were spotted exiting Brentwood County Mart. Garner wore a black crewneck sweatshirt and matching tights. She had blue Nike sneakers on her feet.
The actress’s daughter wore sneakers, blue socks, and khaki cargo shorts. In honor of her dad’s Boston heritage, she wore a green T-shirt with the word “Fenway” printed on the front and a red bomber jacket.
The mother and daughter were content to be with each other, especially the smiling actress. Fans also noted how strikingly similar Seraphina resembled Affleck. The actress’s daughter supposedly carries “Ben’s genes.” “She gave birth to a young Ben,” wrote a different fan. All three of Garner’s children, according to one fan, resemble her, but Seraphina is “the only one that looks like her dad.”
LOPEZ HAS ALSO SPENT TIME WITH THE CHILDREN OF AFFLECK. She was observed attending Spain’s recital in January 2023.
The “Fenway” T-shirt was also noticed by fans, who praised it and called it “great.” A fan commented, “I bet that t-shirt was a present from her dad though.” One person expressed their desire to own Seraphina’s “vibe” and that they were infatuated with her kindness.
Seeing her family in public has never caused Seraphina any anxiety. She frequently appears at events with her parents or blended family. Seraphina and her father were spotted chatting animatedly as they left Petco in Los Angeles, California in November 2022.
In June 2023, the couple was also observed spending quality time together, having a laid-back lunch in Santa Monica, California.
The blended family of Affleck and Garner gets along well and enjoys getting together. Since Lopez and Affleck got married, pictures of the parents and children have surfaced.
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