"I remember a time when I felt unbeautiful, I got teased and taunted about my night shade skin. I would pray to God for paler skin. I tried to negotiate with God. I told God...I would never lose my school sweater if he would just make me a little lighter. When I was a teenager my self hate grew worse. And then Alek Wek came on the international scene, she was dark as night, she was on all the runways, she was beautiful. I couldn't believe people were embracing a woman who looked like me and calling her beautiful. I wanted to reject it because I had begun to enjoy the seduction of inadequacy. I hope through my presence on the big screen and in magazines that you will feel the validation of your external beauty." Lupita Nyong'o