We should start celebrating beauty for what it is regardless of a person’s skin color, race, religion, size, culture, sexuality and whatnot. After all, everyone is created equal and special as flawed or imperfect as we are.

Meanwhile, Khoudia Diop is stealing the spotlight and defying common beauty standards with her sheer positivity and stunning beauty.

But the road to success is not always straight. The Senegalese fashion model was once bullied and called names such as ‘Darky,’ ‘daughter of the night’ and ‘mother of the stars’ yet she emerged victorious and stronger amidst it all.

Khoudia has been amazingly receiving an overwhelming response from the public because of her remarkable features and jet black skin.

In a society with ‘beauty ideals’ and common impression that ‘white is beautiful,’ it is a struggle for some women to be proud of their natural skin. As a result, they resort to certain practices like skin bleaching or whitening.

As for this African beauty, she, too admitted not having enough confidence before because of her own skin color.

But Khoudia is way past her insecurities now.

Eventually, the inspiring and courageous woman learned to embrace her imperfections and turned them into strengths.

“Bullies used to come with all kinds of names thinking I’ll feel bad about my color, well guess what, I loved them all and showed them how much I didn’t care about what they think,” she said.

She regularly shares photos of herself on her Instagram account calling herself ‘Melanin Goddess’ and celebrating black beauty.

And she clearly nailed it, looking just as beautiful alongside her colleauges.

Khoudia is such a natural! Don’t you think?

Such a BEAUTY!

It’s all about self-love and acceptance, like how Lady Gaga’s song goes, “Don’t hide yourself in regret, Just love yourself and you’re set.”

H/T: Earthables