“Her beauty was like a
language he didn’t speak and had never heard.” D. Nurske
Whoever thought that a name like Lupita Nyong’o would be a
household one? The 12 Years a Slave actress and Academy Award winner has
skyrocketed from an unknown with no major film roles to Hollywood’s newest “it”
girl. With all the clout surrounding Lupita, it’s no wonder she was selected by
Lancôme cosmetics to be their new brand ambassador. Her streak of awesomeness
continues with her feature on the cover of the latest issue of Marie Claire magazine. The Yale-graduate,
31, is one of five young stars included in the fashion magazine’s Fresh Faces
issue.
These latest accomplishments, seemingly superficial to the
naked consciousness, are feats to be counted as a shift in America’s
realization that beauty is not to be determined by color. The announcement this
week by Lancôme that Lupita would be its very first black female brand
ambassador, earmarks the period in which the world of fashion and beauty have
begun to transform its thinking that beauty is possessed only by European
featured women. As contrary to the point
as one could get, the African actress is redefining beauty with one stroke of
brilliance and accuracy. Perhaps done unintentionally, Lupita has become a
beckon of hope to many young, African-American girls who have struggled with
their complexion and self-esteem, searching for a sign of reassurance that they
too are beautiful (by American standards).
During Lupita’s acceptance speech at Essence’s Black Women
in Hollywood luncheon, she spoke openly about her personal challenges with
growing up with a darker complexion.
“I remember a time when I too felt
unbeautiful. I put on the TV and only saw pale skin. I got teased and taunted
about my night-shaded skin. And my one prayer to God, the miracle worker, was
that I would wake up lighter-skinned. The morning would come and I would be so
excited about seeing my new skin that I would refuse to look down at myself
until I was in front of a mirror because I wanted to see my fair face first.
And every day I experienced the same disappointment of being just as dark as I
had been the day before. I tried to negotiate with God: I told him I would stop
stealing sugar cubes at night if he gave me what I wanted; I would listen to my
mother's every word and never lose my school sweater again if he just made me a
little lighter. But I guess God was unimpressed with my bargaining chips
because He never listened.”
The gracious and authentic nature of Lupita certainly makes
her more beautiful internally than it does outwardly. Either way I’m grateful
that girls and women of color have a role model like her.
I do not claim ownership to the above images.
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