#dark skin model
Skin Blessed by God
I don’t know who needs to hear this but
Sis, your kinky curly afro hair is beautiful
Your richly melanated skin is beautiful
Your thick juicy lips are beautiful
Your spectacular broad nose is beautiful
Everything about you, from your head to your toes is beautiful
Because BabaGod created you
And The Lord makes no mistakes
So please rise up each and every morning
Basking in the fact that you are BeYOUtiful
In the words of Nas “My African skin gave me the passion to win”
Always remember that Queen
Author - @iameriwa
Model - Mary Sekeye
Photography - Belva Chan
Dark Skin Offends
In the midst of all the public outrage over the comments of an unidentified senior royal being concerned about how dark Archie (Prince Harry and Meghan aka the Sussex’s son) will be, let’s have an honest conversation about the way dark skin and anything that has close proximity to Blackness offends not just white people but Black people too.
Unfortunately, this toxic colonial mindset is why so many of us have an inferiority complex,
Why too many Black men “prefer” to procreate with non-Black women,
Why so many Black women bleach their skin.
Why fair skinned or Bi-racial babies are given more likes, follows and positive comments on social media.
Why often so many of us feel honoured to be invited to white establishments
(I could go on…feel free to add your thoughts in the comments)
Although, our colonisers taught us to hate our richly melanated skin, we’ve got to do better and change the narrative once and for all, by cherishing, respecting, and valuing our Beautiful Black Skin.
If we don’t, who will ?
Author - @iameriwa
Model - @duta_atem
Center Your Chi
Centering your life force
Becoming one with your thoughts
Centering your energy
Catering to yourself first
Releasing all forms of negativity
Especially things that cause you stress, anxiety and pain
Removing people who bring a whole heap of drama
In order to live your life with equanimity.
Breathing in peace
Resting in the calmness of He
Dancing with glee
Smiling with emesnse joy in your heart
Father Lord I thank Thee
Looking forward to your future
Even though you can’t see
What comes next in those chapters
It will definitely be
Filed with wonderful moments
New lessons to learn
Love and kindness in the midst of all the pain
You’ll succeed and become empowered
Through it all
Center Your Chi
And be.
Author - @iameriwa
Model - @adutakech
Visual arts - @langstonamadi
iHeartOG is not Ugly our ideology of Beauty is
I’m disappointed with the negative and dehumanising discourse sounding the “attractiveness” of Ogom Chijindu aka Og, the Nigerian-American reality television personality who appears on Basketball Wives LA.
Please let’s do our best to speak with compassion and understanding, particularly, when it concerns black dark skin women with distinct Afrocentric phenotypes.
The notion that featurismim isn’t real is undermining Og’s (and many other women who look like her) lived experience.
We must acknowledge that, like its ugly cousin RACISM, colourism, featurismim and texturism are all deeply ingrained within our psyche due to the success of White Supremacy.
If featurismim isn’t a thing then why is rhinoplasty surgery so popular among black and brown people? Kelly Rowland, Ciara, Halle Berry and other black female celebrities have surgically alerted their “Afrocentric phenotypes” because anything that has close proximity to whiteness is deemed more attractive.
Unfortunately, European colonizers have successfully engraved their standard of beauty in our minds, that we also succumb to their destructive ideologies by changing the texture of our hair ( or wearing straighter no Afrocentric weaves), lightening our skin complexion, and undergoing invasive (and no intrusive) surgery to alter our distinct African negroid features.
The whole premise of “Pretty for a Dark-skin Girl” is rooted in colourism and featurismim. As the said black girl/woman is deemed attractive because she doesn’t aesthetically look “too African” or “too Black” i.e. she doesn’t have a wide nose, a big pertruding mouth with thick lips, large eyes, basically features that are typically considered “animalistic” or “ugly”.
The gag is, our entire understanding of facial symmetry and perception of beauty was created by old white male biologists/scientists. Therefore, it isn’t surprising that our preferences for lighter skin, softer and slimmer facial features are running rampant in the Black and Brown countries white Europeans colonised ♀️
Let’s re-educate ourselves so we can teach our children that beauty is nuanced, multifaceted, diverse, but more importantly, beauty is skin deep.
Author - @iameriwa
Model - @iheartog
Representation Matters
Unfortunately, our hair has a long history of being politicised and stigmatised in society. However, now more than ever, Black women should feel empowered to wear our natural kinky curly hair in corporate/professional settings with pride.
The more we do, slowly but surely, our tight curls will no longer be considered as “unprofessional”. Furthermore, employers cannot discriminate against an employee wearing an afro, because that’s discrimination against our natural state!
Something we cannot control, no matter how much we attempt to “tame” it with harmful chemicals, it will continue to grow kinky curly.
Black queens, please remember that young Black girls are looking at us to set the example, so lets all do our best to rock our gorgeous gravity defying hair with pride ❤️✊
Author - @iameriwa
Photographed by @b.gray.pixels
Make up by @naphsie_mua
Styled by @alwoman_
Richly Melanated Queens
They call us “coloured” because of the complexion of our skin.
When in fact the more appropriate term is “richly melanated” as our skin tones are rich, deep and beautiful.
For all my richly melanated women, don’t worry about being overshadowed, just focus on shining bright, the way The Creator made you.
Ladies, always remember to let your light be an inspiration to others.
Author - @iameriwa
MUA - @flawlessfacesbyjane
Photography- @peterusmanphoto
Becoming comfortable with change
The older I get, the stronger my ability to navigate change with ease.
My thought process has evolved. I’m embracing change and confidently meeting it and moving through it.
I no longer invest in things that fail to bring me joy, peace, or enlightenment.
I no longer engage with people who don’t recognise and appreciate my efforts to maintain a connection.
I no longer seek approval concerning my achievements, strategies to overcome obstacles, and future aspirations.
I no longer grant extended family members, colleagues, aquitances, or old school friends access to my innermost thoughts or experiences.
I’ve grown to cherish quality time with my partner, immediate family, and dearest friends.
I’ve grown to love my flaws, while acknowledging that I’m a working progress.
I’m focused, I no longer resist change that feels uncomfortable or threatening.
Because I rest in the fact that God knows best, so if I continue to put all my trust in Him, my life is guaranteed to be beautiful (Amin Ase).
Author - @iameriwa
Model - Oriane Adjibi @myfashionbreak
Akuac Thiep, Adot Gak and Ajak Deng for 10 Magazine
Anok Yai for Self Service Magazine, Spring/Summer 2022
RYAN DESTINY for WONDERLAND Autumn/Fall 2020!!
-Our Lifesize Brats Doll was interviewed by BRANDY.
1966mag.com
IG: @1966mag
CHOCOLATE APPRECIATION
-It’s the melanin for us ✊… whew!
1966mag.com
IG: @1966mag
Maria Borges
Roses
Melanin.
