Though I’m inspired that Danai Guirira has become the new face of Reebok. I don’t see this as an achievement, because I feel as a people we should be at a stage where we actually don’t celebrate black people being picked as brand ambassadors. We should be owning our own global household brands.
As black people we should be creators of wealth not just ambassadors of it. But that’s an argument for another day. Sadly it is what it is.
We are so far behind such that Danai being the face of Reebok is a great achievement for us, it’s amazing but sad at the same time.
On a more positive note, it’s inspiring to see a dark-skinned woman represent such a big brand. Melanin rich women have always been shunned and excluded from the mainstream media.
The mainstream standard of beauty for black women is European hair (weaves) and light skin. I hope young black girls will start looking up to women like Danai instead of the over publicized light-skinned black celebrities like Beyonce.
Women who look like Danai are rarely perceived as beautiful, not just by white standards of beauty, but by black people too.
Colorism is a big unspoken issue among black people. Being dark is despised and those who are light-skinned are seen as the cream of black beauty.
The beautiful Danai who is originally from Zimbabwe has achieved so much considering she comes from a society where light skin is celebrated as the ultimate standard of beauty. She is a determined woman who went for what she believed in, and her determination is changing global perceptions of what black beauty actually is.
We shouldnt be celebrating this as success, but considering where we are as a people, this is truly inspiring. I look forward to seeing more dark skinned women celebrated as the ultimate standard of beauty. Well done Danai.
jeangasho.com 