Lupita Nyong’o To Write Children’s Book Set To Inspire And Uplift Dark-Skinned Black Girls

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From Oscar-winning actress to children’s book author, it looks like Lupita Nyong’o is expanding her resume in 2018!

The Black Panther star recently announced that she is creating a series of books that will address colorism and discrimination. Even better? The story is centered on a dark skinned named Sulwe, which means “star” in Nyong’o’s native language, Luo.
According to the New York Times, “Sulwe” is the story of a 5-year-old Kenyan girl who has the darkest skin color in her family, which makes her uncomfortable and determined to find a way to lighten her skin. As the story goes on, Sulwe goes on a journey to find self-love and accept her beautiful skin.
Lupita can relate to inner struggle and society’s obsession with lighter skin.
In her powerful 2014 Black Women in Hollywood speech, Nyong’o spoke about a young girl who wanted to lighten her skin said she was inspired by Nyong’o’s self-acceptance.
The actress said, “I hope that my presence on your screens and in magazines may lead you, young girl, on a similar journey. That you will feel validation of your external beauty, but also, get to the deeper business of being beautiful inside.”
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers will drop the book, which is aimed for readers between the ages of 5 and 7, in January 2019.
Congrats Lupita! This is exactly the kind of story our young girls need!