An aspiring model and student has dished out the perfect response to someone who suggested she’d look better if her skin was lighter.
Photos of Mimi Mbah were shared by Twitter account ‘African Beauties’, which is “dedicated to all the beautiful Africans world wide”.
While many commented on how amazing she looks, one person was quick to pass comment on the colour of her skin.
“It she was lighter, she’d be fire [sic],” Twitter user @lybonv2 wrote.
Mbah was quick to respond, quoting his tweet and saying: “No thanks I wouldn’t trade my skin colour for the world! Still 🔥 though.”
Her response has since been liked more than 50,000 times and retweeted more than 20,000 times.
Still, the nasty comments are a sobering reminder of colourism - discrimination based on the tone of someone’s skin.
Mbah, who is from Maryland, told BuzzFeed News that she responded to the tweet in the first place to show other people that this still happens.
She said she wasn’t surprised when she received the hurtful tweet, but added that she was “definitely disappointed”.
“It’s happened to me before and I think almost every dark skin girl can say the same too,” she explained.
The 19-year-old said she was glad her response went viral because she is now able to use Twitter as a platform to talk about these issues and provide advice to other women in the same position.
“Overall I want all my dark skin girls to know that we are chocolate goddesses no matter what anyone says!” she said.
Many have praised her for speaking out against the comment, with some even calling her a role model.
Well said, Mimi.