12 Years A Slave Actress, Lupita Nyongo Opens Up About Struggling With Her Complexion

Lupita.

Yesterday, Lupita joined a legion of other beautiful black women to celebrate their accomplishments in the industry at the Essence Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon. The contrast of her white Giambattista Valli crop top and skirt combo against her smooth dark complexion was nothing short of stunning.
The 12 Years a Slave actress hasn’t always felt as beautiful as she looks in her skin, though. At the luncheon, she spoke to the Associated Press about her struggle to accept herself, saying:

I got teased and taunted about my skin. My one prayer to God 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 the mirror because I wanted to see my face first. Every day I would feel the disappointment of being just as dark as the day before.
It was Sudanese supermodel Alex Wek whose strong presence in magazines and on the runway helped her to love the skin she’s in and appreciate an event such as this one.
My complexion had always been an obstacle to overcome. I couldn’t believe that people were embracing a woman who looked so much like me as beautiful. It was perplexing and I wanted to reject it because I had begun to enjoy the seduction of inadequacy. But a flower couldn’t help but bloom inside of me. I hope that my presence on your screen and my face in magazines may lead you, young girls, on a beautiful journey. That you will feel the validation of your external beauty, but also get to the deeper business of being beautiful inside.
During the week where the buzz and stress is high surrounding the Oscars this Sunday, the 30-year-old rightfully scored the Breakthrough Performance Award and was joined by many others who flocked to the white carpet in their award-worthy looks. Global Grind.