Khoudia Diop Quotes

Khoudia Diop

Profession : Actress

Birth : December 31, 1996

Even though I was very young, it was traumatizing seeing someone try weird things on their skin all for the sake of being lighter. It's as common as relaxing your hair or maybe even brushing your teeth. I had friends not wanting to do it, but their moms gave them creams to help lighten their skin. That's how accessible it is.

Khoudia Diop

I wanted to bleach my skin so bad, but my sister always discouraged me. She'd say, 'This is a bad thing. Don't try it.'

Khoudia Diop

My mom was the only one who didn't bleach her skin. She was the one who kept her natural complexion. So yes, I consider her a role model. All of her other family members would say to us, 'Oh, your mom is so beautiful. She's lucky she kept her skin.' Those comments stayed with me.

Khoudia Diop

Kids used to tease me and call me 'fille des etoiles,' which translates to 'daughter of the stars.'

Khoudia Diop

There were times I wouldn't leave my room for weeks and sometimes missed school because I hated how people would look at me. But my older sister helped me find the positive: She used to show me pictures of Alek Wek to say, 'See! You can be a model if you want!'

Khoudia Diop

My very first account was @BlackBarbie, which is what my friends called me growing up. Then I thought, 'You can either call yourself that, or you can find something that will matter to dark-skinned girls.' So I came up with @melaniin.goddess.

Khoudia Diop

I wanted to show girls it's not bad to be dark, that different is beautiful.

Khoudia Diop

I want to be an actress and learn astronomy!

Khoudia Diop

I let my life, and success, speak for itself.

Khoudia Diop

Where I grew up, we had light-skinned models but not dark. Every time I would talk about being a model with my friends, they would start laughing out loud.

Khoudia Diop

I was so ashamed of it that I would spend hours in the shower crying and trying to wash my skin off.

Khoudia Diop

Self-love is not something that you get in one day or two days. It's an ongoing process, and I go through it every day.

Khoudia Diop

When I was in high school in Paris, some photographers wanted my photos and asked if I was interested in modeling. I wasn't interested because I wanted to get my education first. I was scared because I didn't know what I was getting into.

Khoudia Diop

When I was younger, I didn't have any inspiration to like the skin I was in.

Khoudia Diop

In my family, only my brother has a similar skin color. But in Senegal, the color is common.

Khoudia Diop

I hear a lot from women in Africa. And not just from dark-skinned women but from all women struggling because of insecurity. They thank me and tell me that I inspire them. And that makes me feel really, really proud.

Khoudia Diop

We need more women of colour in fashion, period.

Khoudia Diop

I want to inspire other young women of color and empower them. I want them to know that they can do and be anything they dream of.

Khoudia Diop

I didn't have to listen to nobody or look how anybody wanted me to look. I just wanted to be myself and look however I want.

Khoudia Diop

In my country - even though we have a lot of dark-skinned people - people think the lighter you are, the better you are. They think beauty has to do with being light-skinned. I think that's really wrong.

Khoudia Diop