She was called "darky" as a child.
via Instagram
As a child in Senegal, Khoudia Diop was mercilessly teased for her dark complexion. The children called her “Darky” and “Daughter of the Night.” But as she grew older, she gained the confidence to stand up for herself. “Growing up, I faced it by confronting the bullies,” she told The Daily Mail. “As I grew, I learned to love myself more every day, and not pay attention to the negative people.” At the age of 17, Diop took her journey of self acceptance a step further by attempting to become a fashion model.
Last June, two years into her modeling career, Diop was selected from social media to be part of The Colored Girl Project. Diop joined nine other women from various walks of life in representing the various aspects of black beauty. Before the campaign, she had 100 followers on Instagram, after The Colored Girl Project, Diop has attracted nearly 290,000 followers.
via Instagram
After finding success as a model, Diop has forgotten about the bullies and set her sights on inspiring women to embrace their uniqueness. “I want to inspire young girls and let them know that we are all goddesses inside and out,” Diop told The Daily Mail. She now proudly refers to herself as “The Melanin Goddess” and it’s all because she wouldn’t allow other people to define her sense of beauty. “If you’re lucky enough to be different, don’t ever change,” Diop says.
via Instagram
Share on Facebook
