Black Women in Education
Lupita Nyong’o to Publish a Children’s Book
Lupita Nyong’o, the Academy Award-winning actress and voice of Maz Kanata in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” will write her debut children’s book “Sulwe” for Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers next January. The picture book is aimed at readers between the ages of 5 and 7. An illustrator has not yet been announced.
“Sulwe,” which means “star” in Ms. Nyong’o’s native language, Luo, is the story of a 5-year-old girl growing up in Kenya. In the book, Sulwe has the darkest skin color in her family, a fact that makes her uncomfortable and determined to find a way to lighten her skin. As the story unfolds Sulwe embarks on a whimsical adventure in the night sky that, coupled with advice from her mother, helps her see beauty differently.
For Ms. Nyong’o, the decision to touch on these heavy and often difficult themes in a children’s book was obvious. The story plants seeds in a child’s mind, allowing for later access to lessons that children “don’t necessarily recognize when they are reading the books,” said Ms. Nyong’o in an interview. When thinking about her own journey into acceptance and self-love, Ms. Nyong’o cited reading with her mother as critical to her development.
Like Sulwe, Ms. Nyong’o struggled with her complexion and self-image as a child. Growing up, she remembers becoming more aware of herself in grade school and caring about the opinions of others. It was around that time that she also noticed the language people outside of her family used to describe her “brown and pretty,” lighter skinned sister.
Ms. Nyong’o candidly acknowledged being self-conscious of her darker skin in an unforgettable speech in 2014. She then used her remarks to deliver a powerful message about the importance of race and representation in Hollywood and beyond. She also addressed a young fan who decided against lightening her skin after witnessing Ms. Nyong’o’s success as an actress.
“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,” she said.
The speech went viral and gained Ms. Nyong’o praise for its emotional depth and heartfelt message.
“I felt really grateful that it had this impact,” Ms. Nyong’o said. “And at that time it occurred to me that there was an audience that this was resonating with, but the age group that really needed to hear this wouldn’t necessarily …
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