Nyakim Gatwech’s life has indeed been filled with ups and down. She has lived through the war in South Sudan, to entering refugee camps in Ethiopia, Nyakim wound up in Minnesota in search of a better future. Because she looked so different, she had a very different experience after moving there as well. Since she was treated so bad, she decided to take drastic measures to change herself. Her story is one that will truly inspire anyone dealing with hardships in life and its unsolicited criticism...
Nyakim Gatwech’s story was one that started even before being given birth. While the Second Sudanese Civil War was happening, millions of innocent people had to run out of the country and try to find refuge in neighboring African countries. It was certainly unsafe for everyone as soldiers were shooting villages as a whole. The Gatwech family was among the many who decided to run for their lives.
The mother of this family was certain that there would be no future for them here in South Sudan. She was confident in her decision to flee with her children as quickly as they possibly could. She did not stop at all until she was sure they had reached Ethiopia. With the scorching sun and her kids to mind, she took the whole family to a place she thought would be safer. She was actually carrying a child too...
Since she was without a man to support her and be there for her, Nyakim Gatwech’s mother had to go by herself to locate the right refugee camp. She did so by walking on foot until they could settle in one located in Ethiopia. The mother was set on keeping her children safe and even without a husband, she was determined to give a better future for her kids. In the refugee camp, she finally gave birth to a beautiful girl, Nyakim.
It was very unfortunate as two of Nyakim’s siblings didn’t make it through the sudden change. Her sister died on their way to Ethiopia and her poor brother did not survive the complications of his kidney failure. As for the rest of the Gatwech family, they were lucky as Ethiopia was not the final stop. They had no idea that their lives were about to take a drastic turn... But will it be for the better or for worse?
Nyakim Gatwech’s mother then made a decision later, to get out of Ethiopia when the U.N. left the refugee camp. Majority of her family members were taking flights to go to America, but because of so much racism and harsh bullying, the Ethiopian government did not allow her to leave the country. So what was Nyakim to do if she was not even allowed a chance for a better life outside?
Since the family was dealing with a lot of hardships, they decided to return to Kenya joining another refugee camp where they stayed up until Nyakim, pictured here was about 14 years of age. Here in Kenya, Nyakim found her love and passion for fashion and beauty. She would constantly watch 'America’s Next Top Model; with Tyra Banks as her idol, getting her hands on all of the fashion magazines she could read...
While they were staying in the refugee camps, Nyakim and her family would have to face a lot of danger and suffering too. There would be rebels who entered the camp to try and rob the refugees. Nyakim later spoke about her experience in the refugee camps revealing that her mother would shove her children into one room and to get on top of one another to avoid harm. Even at the camps, it was unsafe for them...
Nyakim’s brother still has scars to prove just how much they struggled in the refugee camps when a bunch of rebels came in and cut him. All that their mother could do when the rebels came was to just scream and shout. Their neighbors luckily came to the rescue and shooed them away. This was getting too much so Nyakim’s mother wished for her kids to taste the land of freedom: America.
After years of applying and wishing to be able to get to America, the Gatwech family’s status could finally be approved in the month of April 2007. Since they had been applying for quite a while, it was truly a special moment for the family. They could not wait to finally get a reunion with their cousins, nieces, and nephews who had already gone there in search of safety and a better future.
It was such a sigh of relief to know that they would not have to worry about their next meal or sleeping in tents. It was just like heaven in a way. The family was now going to get full access to a good education, clean hygienic water, and proper medical care. However, Nyakim would soon realize that America was a place where good and bad both collided. Language and her dark complexion were about to make her life a living hell...
By the year 2007, Nyakim finally reached America. So, with her whole family, she landed in Buffalo, New York. She was so excited that their patience and efforts were not sowing the seeds. They were beyond excited to see what the country had to offer them. Since they had been through so much in Africa, this was definitely a new experience for them. However, this does not mean that there weren't new challenges ahead...
Nyakim was a quick learner and soon realized that in order to be successful in America, it was going to take a lot of hard work and effort. Years later, in one of her interviews, Nyakim explained: “America is a really great country if you make it.” She did not forget all the things she had to deal with in order to get to the place where she was. Even in America, Nyakim had to live through prejudice and racism...
Nyakim was not aware of discrimination, up until she moved to the United States of America. Since she had never been pointed out about her unique looks, she always thought of herself to be just another regular girl. She was always aware that she was a lot darker than most people in her life, but she had never received criticism or nasty comments in relation to her dark skin in Sudan, Ethiopia, or Kenya.
Since moving to America, she was the center of attention for people of all ethnicities and color, who would often stare at her. However, Nyakim revealed that the most hurtful and abusive people she had to deal with were black Americans. “I didn’t even think colorism had a word or existed until recently. I didn’t feel it back home, but I really feel it here,” she admitted in an interview she gave.
When Nyakim Gatwech finally joined the middle school in Buffalo, she had to learn English properly. Since she had the issue of a language barrier, it was difficult, however, she could tell the comments and abuse they threw at her. “You’re black as hell. Take a shower,” teased the kids. If teachers asked the students, they would answer, “We can’t see her. She’s not here. Smile so we can see you, Nyakim.”
Then the teacher would scold these bullies, even sending them to the principal’s office. However, it did not hurt any less for poor Nyakim as she knew all the other kids were thinking the same things that those bullies blurted out. There were countless nights she had to sleep, crying and crying. Nyakim became extremely insecure about her dark skin and her self-esteem dropped immensely...
Nyakim was deeply hurt knowing that the classmates and the people she lived with did not accept her as she was. It was a terrible feeling for the young girl who just wanted a chance in life. Even though she was made fun of, there were other who often told her that she should go for modeling. Even though she had always been interested, Nyakim was too insecure to start by herself...
“These people don’t accept me,” she confessed. “These kids think I’m ugly. I don’t see myself on social media, or TV, or in the magazines. I don’t think I’m meant to be a model,” Nyakim would often exclaim. She did not feel confident about it so she kept the possibilities of modeling on the side. However, when she least expected it, her destiny was about to come for her sooner than she expected...
Nyakim did not feel beautiful at all. As a matter of fact, she thought she was ugly and would never amount to anything. She felt like garbage actually. During her school days, there were times when she would enter the cafeteria and the other students would quickly get up to get away from her. The rejection that she dealt with in school was something that would kill anyone's spirit...
She also recalled one moment in her life when she felt like a complete joke. She once passed by two random guys who were betting to see if Nyakim was wearing leggings or if her complexion really was that dark. The Sudanese girl was incredibly hurt and it was doing nothing but damage to her self-worth and her will to live her life. It was going to take a little while for Nyakim to find her true beauty...
Nyakim Gatwech reached a point where she could not even look in the mirror. She had always loved makeup but had never been given the chance to use it. “I’d look on TV and think, ‘Oh, her eyeshadow is beautiful,’ or, ‘I love her highlight.’ But I couldn’t find things that matched my skin tone. I didn’t care — I loved makeup so much, I’d put it on regardless. I’d buy a base three or four shades lighter than my skin and look ridiculous,” Nyakim expressed to interviewers. Kids made fun of her skin so much that she ultimately wanted to do something about it...
Since she was not well-versed with makeup, Nyakim started looking at skin bleaching. Nyakim was seriously contemplating on getting her skin bleached to rid herself of the ugly snares and bitter comments. She wanted people to treat her like a normal human being. If skin brightening was going to help her achieve this, she was fine with it. As she was looking up further into skin bleaching, Nyakim was about to get a huge wake up call...
Nyakim begged her dear sister to help her do something common with Sudanese women, to bleach her skin. Nyakim’s sister had already done this and was thoroughly against it. Her sister explains “You would not just be bleaching your skin, you would be bleaching your mind. I did it and I regret it. I’m not going to let my daughter do it or you — nobody.” She also advised Nyakim, “The most satisfying feeling is when you are comfortable in your own skin and when you accept your beautiful dark, dark melanin.”
The Gatwech family then made a move to Saint Paul, Minnesota to join the bigger Sudanese community in the Midwest. Nyakim’s mother wished to be a preacher which was possible there. The bullying that Nyakim encountered followed her in Minnesota too. In public, people would exclaim, “Oh my God, she’s so black. Is that even normal?!” At school sporting events, the teasing continued as kids would say, “Are we going to be able to even see her when it’s her turn to pass the relay stick.”But Minnesota was good for her...
So when Nyakim Gatwech joined junior year in high school, she was about to get a life-changing opportunity. Even though her sister advised Nyakim to do modeling, she always thought she was not light-skinned enough or for that matter, a blonde to get on the runway. But when her friend asked her to model her clothes for a fashion show at St. Cloud State University, things would change. Nyakim realized just how natural she was on the runway...
And ever so quickly, Nyakim’s beauty was slowly appreciated by more people. Some people would stop her in the streets, encouraging her to pursue modeling. She slowly started to believe that the world was her oyster, that she was capable of things. She often felt, “What’s modeling. Is that a job I can really apply for?” She quickly started to venture into modeling. She joined a college in New York and balanced her time trying to perfect her portfolio.
When Nyakim made a move to New York, she was still faced discrimination. Fellow models, designers and make-up artists would often give rude comments and ill-treat the Sundanese model. They could not see her beauty, transfixed by the idea of conventional beauty only. Back in Minnesota, Nyakim also faced a lot of rejection as her looks clearly did not fit the western standard of beauty. But her sheer determination lead her to something meaningful...
Nyakim took a very long time to embrace herself and learn to love herself. She wanted to concentrate on being a serious model and her family was on board. She was about to have a very huge change coming her way in life. Nyakim knew that she had to love herself first if she wanted other to love and accept her. She slowly saw her beauty and uniqueness and booked more shoots and shows. She then met someone who catapulted her career even further up...
So on March 2017, Nyakim Gatwech booked an Uber to travel to Minnesota. This ride was to catch an interview but ended up opening up her old wounds. The taxi arrived and the driver exclaimed, “Wow, you’re dark. If you were given $10,000, would you bleach your skin?” Then, the upcoming model answered gently, “I’m like, ‘Yeah I know.’ I can tell when somebody has never seen a Sudanese person before, somebody as dark as me.” Her next words were truly motivating...
Nyakim was now able to laugh off the insensible comments but she wanted to get to the bottom of why he thought she would need skin bleaching. He told her that it would help her get a man. He further stated that she would get a job easier if she was fairer. She then responded, “Even if being lighter would make my life easier, I’d rather take the hard road. Why would I ever bleach this beautiful melanin God blessed me with?” He again asked her to do it, to which she hilariously replied, “Hell to the f***ing no!”
Nyakim could not believe that such an ignorant man existed so she decided to share her incident on her social media. It was something that she had constantly been dealing with all her life. Her story about “the light-skinned black man” managed to grab her thousands of followers and sympathizers and Nyakim received a lot of good wishes and supportive messages. Now at 24 years of age, the model's story went viral...
After Nyakim posted her encounter with the racist driver, her Instagram managed to grow to a whopping 347,000 followers. Since she had lived through all these comments, she told her fans that it did not get to her that much anymore. She had better things to worry about in life now, more significant things. Her confidence and self-love became such an inspiration for her followers that they gave her a new nickname...
Nyakim’s fans gave the model the nickname “The Queen of Dark” and “Melanin Goddess”. She gladly accepted these terms of endearment on her Instagram and would often post and use them as hashtags. Nyakim finally became comfortable in her own skin and was not bothered by the pesky comments anymore. She advised other to also love their individuality and uniqueness. “It takes time to love who you are. If you love yourself other people will see. It will shine through you and then they have the choice to accept you or walk away,” Nyakim suggested.
After Nyakim Gatwech’s story garnered so much social media attention, a shoot called “Different Melanin,” was set up. This was meant to depict her posing with models of different shades of brown skin. She and a fellow Sudanese posted a photo using the story of the uber driver once again. This post was even more popular than the previous one. She wrote, “When I put a picture up I’m telling people that no matter what you say, I love who I am. I love my skin tone. I’m telling people that I am beautiful even though I look different than the majority of people in this world I live in.”
Nyakim was gaining more fame and ever landed jobs as the cover girl for local magazines and national campaigns for brands like Aldo, Calvin Klein, and Jigsaw. She was slowly starting to get attention for the right reasons. As she encourages self-love, she was sought after by brands more than ever before. “My skin is beautiful; it’s smooth, it’s glowy, and I stand out when I walk in a room. My skin right now is being used as a weapon to show the world different is beautiful. I’m using my skin color as a tool to inspire other people to love themselves and be OK with who they are,” Nyakim later confessed.
Nyakim has one thing she dislikes a lot. It is when photographers alter her look so that she appears lighter or darker. “Can you just get my skin color the way it is? Is that too much to ask,” she expressed in an interview. She wants people to stop associating blackness with everything dark and twisted. She loves being called the queen of darkness. She sees Naomi Campbell, Tyra Banks, Alek Wek, and Nykhor Paul as inspirations and explains, “We’re not just regular models who walk down the runway, go home, and call it a day. We’re inspiring people and opening doors for others.”
Nyakim has used her platform to criticize the beauty standards in the US. “In New York or L.A., you see all types of models, but they still go for the blonde hair and blue eyes in Minnesota — a more ‘commercial’ look. I was signed to an agency here, and not once did they ever get a job for me,” she informed interviewers. She would provoke designers who do not like her skin color by wearing bright colors like red and orange. She now feels confident in metallic colors too...
Nyakim Gatwech also finished her education degree at Minneapolis Community College and wishes to be an elementary school teacher one day. She wants to do something meaningful for the society. “If loving myself and talking about it is helping people, I want to keep doing that. That’s important,” Nyakim reveals. She advises people to reach out to her as she feels everyone needs a slight boost of positivity.
Nyakim Gatwech still gets negative and hurtful comments about her skin color. She has learned to answer back in a calm and gentle manner. She does not believe that adding fuel to the fire helps anyone in any way. “We’re all human. There’s no need to divide ourselves. There’s no need to think that one person is better than others,” Nyakim explains to her fans. She even confessed that she tells herself that she loves herself out loud...
Since she has gained an ample amount of fame, Nyakim has used her voice to speak about the conditions in her home country of South Sudan. She would often raise awareness about the sufferings and turmoil present in Africa. Her whole life had been a struggle but it had sharpened her to be what she was today: a strong and independent woman. She knows that everyone cannot be pleased but is living proof that success is the ultimate revenge after all...