Lupita Nyong'o's New Book Inspires Girls Of Color To Love Their Dark Skin
By Paris Close
October 2, 2019
Lupita Nyong’o hopes her new book will inspire girls of color to love the skin they're born with.
The actress, known as the star of films like Us and Black Panther, is taking her talents toward writing with the forthcoming release of her children’s book, Sulwe, arriving October 15. The title, which means “star” in Nyongo’s native Luo, is about a young girl named Sulwe’s heartwarming self-discovery on what makes her beautiful and unique.
According to the publisher Simon & Schuster, the book’s description reads: “Sulwe has skin the color of midnight. She is darker than everyone in her family. She is darker than anyone in her 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.”
While written for children, beneath the surface of Academy Award winner’s picture book is a moving story about helping girls like her find confidence in spite of colorism, a form of prejudice or discrimination that uplifts lighter skin complexions over those with darker skin. Nyong’o reflected on this in a candid Instagram post about her book on Tuesday (October 1).
"This is 5-year-old me. I reflected on this little girl's feelings and fantasies when I decided to write my children's book, #Sulwe. With this book, I wanted to hold up a mirror for her," she wrote with an image of her younger self. "#Sulwe 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."
"Colorism, society's preference for lighter skin, is alive and well. … Throughout the world, even in Kenya, even today, there is a popular sentiment that lighter is brighter," she added, before concluding with: "I imagined what it would have been like for this little girl to turn the pages of her picture books and see more dark skin in a beautiful light. This book is my dream come true for kids like her today."
Photo: Getty Images/Simon & Schuster