Standing out from your peers can be challenging, especially when your appearance draws unwanted attention. Khoudia Diop, a Senegalese fashion model, knows this all too well. She was teased as a kid due to her deep, dark skin color. However, instead of letting negativity define her, she transformed it into inspiration and now shares powerful advice on self-love.

Growing up in Senegal, Diop’s life was far from ordinary. Her mother moved to New York when she was just 2 years old, leaving her to be raised by her aunt. She recalled her cousins urging her to use skin-bleaching products, but Diop always refused, recognizing that these products were easily accessible in her country but damaging to the skin.

Diop admitted, “I never tried it, but I’m not going to lie, I wanted to be lighter.” The teasing made Diop sometimes isolate herself, causing her to skip school and feel ashamed. However, her older sister played a crucial role in helping her discover the positive side of her uniqueness.

Diop has faced prejudice from a young age, with her deep, rich skin tone drawing taunts from other kids. She remembers they gave her nicknames like “Midnight” or “Mother of Stars”. But she found the strength to embrace both her inner and outer beauty and chose not to dwell on the criticism.