Some of the darkest-skinned people on earth reside in South Sudan, the world’s youngest nation.
And Nyakim Gatwech, a South Sudanese-American model is the darkest person in the world. She was born in a refugee camp on the 27th of January, 1993 in Ethiopia to South Sudanese parents. She spent years in Kenya before immigrating to the United States at 16.
Her journey in America was not easy. She faced relentless bullying because of her skin tone, including racist comments and exclusion from classmates. Some people asked Nyakim if her dark skin is the result of some medical condition, or if she can just shower the black away. At one point, she even considered bleaching her skin.
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Despite the hurdles, Nyakim pursued a career in modeling which started by mistake. When she was 17-years-old, her tutor, who was a design student, asked her to model a dress she designed for a student fashion show, and she loved it. Since then, she has been doing modelling gigs both in Minnesota, as well as New York City and Los Angeles.
Through self-initiated photoshoots, she built a strong online presence, gaining millions of followers who admired her confidence and stunning beauty. In 2022, Nyakim was at the center of a racism scandal involving Columbia University psychiatrist Jeffrey Lieberman, who described her as a "freak of nature" in a now-deleted tweet. His comment, which dehumanized her, led to widespread backlash and his subsequent suspension from multiple positions.
Instead of succumbing to these challenges, she embraced her natural beauty and used it as a source of strength. Today, she is a role model for dark-skinned individuals worldwide, proving that beauty comes in all shades.
It is no secret that the fashion and beauty industries historically favour lighter skin tones and this is evident with the fact that despite her rising fame, Nyakim has yet to be signed by a major modeling agency. Many fashion brands still favour a narrow definition of diversity, often selecting only one dark-skinned model per agency.
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People with dark skin typically have high levels of melanin, the pigment responsible for skin color and Nyakim's strikingly rich melanin has earned her global recognition, but beyond her skin tone, she is a powerful voice against colorism and beauty standards that often favour lighter skin.
Undeterred, Nyakim, through her work continues to challenge outdated beauty standards, proving that melanin is powerful, beautiful, and worthy of celebration. She actively speaks out against colorism and inspires young girls who struggle with self-acceptance.