Lupita Nyong’o has recently launched her first and long-awaited picture book, Sulwe.
The award winning actress has been busy going round promoting the book with several interviews and appearances. Amidst the adverse weather and dry temperature, this diva stays on top of her “glow game”! The book sheds light on the effects of colorism on self esteem.
PLOT
The story revolves around a young girl named Sulwe. Sulwe has the skin colour of the night. She is darker than anyone in her family and at school. Sulwe just wants to be beautiful and bright, like her mother and sister. Then a magical journey in the night sky opens her eyes and changes everything.
Just like the story, Lupita Nyongo was teased as a child for having her gorgeous skin tone. “Much like Sulwe, I got teased and taunted about my night-shaded skin. My goal is to provide young children with a path towards seeing their own beauty regardless of what society tells them”, she said in a press release.
Lupita also described the book as a “liberal autobiography”, meant to help dark-skinned children realize their worth and beauty. “It took a while for me to find my stride and learn to love the skin I’m in. I wrote this book to help little kids get there a little faster”, she said in an interview with Good Morning America.
The 36 year old star stated in a post on Instagram that the inspiration for Sulwe came after the 2014 Black Women in Hollywood organized by Essence.
Just days before the 2014 #Oscars, I gave a speech at @Essence‘s Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon. For a surreal, nerve-wracking five minutes, I spoke to a room full of Black women about my own struggle to find beauty in my dark skin, my journey to self-love, and how I hoped my presence on screens and in magazines would be a source of validation for young people growing up with similar struggles. This speech struck a chord with many people and went viral on the internet.
In the aftermath of this open-hearted public moment for me, I realized this message needed to be heard by the most vulnerable: our children. This is when the idea of a children’s book was born. Today #Sulwe is officially a reality,” Nyong’o captioned the post.
The book “holds up a mirror for dark-skinned children especially, to see themselves reflected immediately, and it is a window for all the others to cherish peering into,” said Nyong’o. And we definitely can’t stop staring at the ravishing beauty.
CONCLUSION
The inspiring children’s book, Sulwe, is now available far and wide.
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