BRAVE | Self-Love on a Social Stage

Brave.

It’s what she sees when she looks in the mirror. A midnight-skinned young woman who moves forward despite every label the world has placed on her. A beautiful person who has always been beautiful, but is only now just seeing it...

Nyakim Gatwech never expected to go viral. If you would have asked her just two years ago that she would be known for her ebony skin, her advocacy, her passion for modeling, and her honesty, she would have laughed it off in a daydream. Who would ever think that the bullied immigrant from South Sudan would now have thousands of fans who admire her self-love and self-acceptance? The Queen of Darkness (a name given to her by her Instagram fans) is experiencing the fame she’s always dreamed of, and yet, is somehow still grounded in what makes her her.

The 24-year-old is student, working towards becoming an elementary teacher. In between working as a teacher’s assistant and studying, she has found a way to become America’s next top model, after years of late nights, hundreds of casting calls, collaborations, paid and unpaid gigs, and college runway shows. Her midnight skin has brought her into the limelight, and her humility and sense of humor have kept her there. Nyakim is not just a social media sensation. She’s a star and she knows it, and now, there’s no going back.