A woman was astonished when an Uber driver gave her an unsolicited tip on how to treat her stunning skin.
Nyakim Gatwech, a fashion icon famously known as the “Queen of the Dark,” responded with laughter, gracefully shrugging off his comments.
Read on to discover the advice the Uber driver gave her and how she transformed it into a moment of empowerment!
Nyakim Gatwech spent her early years in refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya, dreaming that life in America would be like heaven.
But when she arrived in Buffalo at around 14 years old, Gatwech often found herself crying alone, grappling with the harsh judgments about her deeply pigmented skin.
The Minnesota-based model, originally from South Sudan, endured years of bullying for her radiant dark skin. She was often subjected to taunts 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 school, for example, when the teacher asked a question and said, ‘Nyakim, can you answer that?’ a kid would interrupt with, ‘Who are you talking to? We can’t see her. She’s not here.’ The whole class would laugh, and I would just cry,” the now 31-year-old recalls.
As an impressionable young girl, she longed to fit in, but it wasn’t easy when strangers made bets on whether she was wearing leggings or if her skin was naturally that dark.
“At one point, I contemplated bleaching my skin. When I moved 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,” Nyakim admits. “There are many beautiful dark-skinned Sudanese women who bleach their skin.”
The model also shared that her own sister had undergone skin bleaching. “My sister did it. But when I told her I was considering it after living in America for a few months, she firmly refused. She said, ‘I’m not going to let my daughter or you do it. Nobody will.’”
Queen of the Dark
Now revered as the Queen of the Dark, Nyakim – who has faced discrimination from designers, makeup artists, and even fellow models – feels empowered by overcoming negativity.
Her confidence and profound love for her rich, chocolatey skin are celebrated by her 962,000 devoted Instagram followers.
“My chocolate is elegant. So is what I represent…A nation of warriors,” she proudly proclaims in one post.
Fans are endlessly captivated by her striking beauty.
“Omgggggg I love your skin and melanin,” writes one admirer, while another says, “I love your beautiful skin tone so much! God creates beautiful beings like you to remind us of His magnificence!”
“I grew to love myself…Now, I am not bothered by the negativity. I embrace my skin, I love myself, and I am no longer insecure about my appearance. I now have confidence in myself,” shares Gatwech, reflecting on her journey.
‘Stupidest questions’
A few years ago, Gatwech recounted an encounter with an Uber driver who asked if she would ever consider bleaching her unique skin.
“He said, ‘Wow, you’re dark,’” Gatwech recalls from her conversation with the driver. “I just laughed. I wanted to know why he suggested bleaching. He said life would be easier for me – I’d have more success in relationships, job interviews, and social acceptance. I responded, ‘Even if being lighter would make my life easier, I’d rather take the harder road.’”
“I’m used to people asking the stupidest questions about my skin,” she adds.
Gatwech shared this story on Instagram along with a captivating image of her and three other dark-skinned Sudanese women. She wrote, “A country with people so dark you won’t believe your eyes…skin so rich and teeth so bright. I love my country, my people, and everything that comes with it.”
She detailed the Uber driver interaction: “He asked, ‘Would you bleach your skin for $10,000?’ I couldn’t respond—I laughed so hard. Then he said, ‘So that’s a no?’ I replied, ‘Definitely a no. Why would I ever bleach this beautiful melanin that God blessed me with?’ He then asked if I saw it as a blessing.”
Her followers soon flooded with praise, offering their support.
“I guess he didn’t get the memo… Black is beautiful,” writes one fan.
“I love you for loving you,” shares another. A third admirer adds, “Why would we ever mess up something so beautiful?”
When asked by Yahoo Beauty what advice she could offer 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 cherry, the sweeter the juice. Embrace your darkness!”
Gatwech’s story is a powerful reminder that beauty comes in all shapes, sizes, and colors!
What do you think of this incredible woman and her response to the Uber driver? Share your thoughts and spread her story to inspire others!
