She reminds me of an underdog warrior princess who fought through the storm of prejudice and discrimination to succeed. I can’t denounce the claim that this mental picture wasn’t influenced by her role in the high grossing, ultra-hyped movie, Black Panther, but Lupita Nyong’o, our woman crush Wednesday represents a greater purpose beyond our on-screen entertainment.
Similar to what the Nigerian-American actress, Uzo Aduba represents to the young women of African descent, Lupita’s presence in Hollywood creates a gateway for the hopeful dreamers. Born to a Kenyan father, Lupita who looks every bit African – thanks to her beautiful dark skin tone – is a poster girl for the revolution of dark-skinned African women finding a deserved place in Hollywood and being recognized for their brilliance alongside.
Winning her first Oscar award for her supporting role in the 2013 movie, 12 Years a Slave, was a monumental moment in the Actress’ career and in factual truth, Hollywood in general.
Today we celebrate an actress who embodies resilience in the truest form and whose story has touched the lives of many young (and not-so-young) women in Africa.