Oprah Winfrey | The Worth Campaign, Inc. Oprah Winfrey | The Worth Campaign, Inc.

Lupita Nyong’o: “My One Prayer…Was That I would Wake Up Light Skinned”

Lupita-Nyong-o-EssenceLupita Nyong’o is certainly shining. The Oscar nominated actress and red carpet stunner has grabbed attention far and wide since her breakout role in 12 Years a Slave. But, at Essence’s Black Women in Hollywood luncheon, she admitted that she used to struggle with her physical appearance. So much so, she routinely prayed for her skin to become lighter overnight. This just goes to show that the evil seeds of colorism abound even for young women whom we would all deem extraordinarily gorgeous. [Read more…]

“Dark Girls” Documentary Explores Colorism, Self-Worth, and Prejudice

dark girlsThe captivating and well-received documentaryDark Girls” will be premiering on OWN this Sunday. And while the film touches on the topic of colorism, the intra-racial animus brought on by perceived worth associated with lighter variations in skin pigmentation in the black community, it also deals with social messaging, stigmas about natural hair textures, and relationships with darker women. Perhaps the most powerful aspect of the film is its authenticity as it is mainly told through firsthand accounts of “dark girls.” And, I have to say, even the preview brought up emotions for me that I had long ago believed to be gone. [Read more…]