Stunning black model who was labeled 'darky' and 'daughter of the night' by racist bullies tells how she overcame their hatred to become an Instagram star and a rising fashion sensation

  • Khoudia Diop said she was 'teased a lot' growing up because of her skin color and still gets negative comments online today
  • The rising star said she used to deal with it by confronting bullies but that as she has got older she has found she prefers to 'not pay attention'
  • The 19-year-old gave herself the nickname 'Melanin Goddess' to reference her skin color and to encourage people to be confident in themselves
  • Khoudia, who only started modeling two years ago, has shot to fame on Instagram in recent weeks where she now has 220,000 followers 

A black model who has taken Instagram by storm said she was bullied growing up because of her skin color.

Khoudia Diop, 19, who also calls herself 'Melanin Goddess', said she was 'teased a lot' growing up and still gets negative comments online now.

The Senegalese rising star, who lives in New York, told Daily Mail Online that she used to face up to bullies by confronting them but now she prefers to 'not pay attention' to negativity and focuses on learning to 'love myself more every day'.

Abuse: Stunning black model Khoudia Diop, 19, pictured, has told how she endured racist bullying before shooting to fame online

International: Khoudia, pictured in a stunning gold dress, was born in Senegal and lives in New York

Racist: Khoudia, who also calls herself 'Melanin Goddess', said she used to get 'teased a lot' because of her skin color

Khoudia, who has more than 220,000 followers on Instagram, many accumulated in recent weeks, was born in Senegal and moved to France when she was 15.

She said: 'I was teased a lot growing up, because of my skin tone. By other kids, and now even online sometimes, people will make comments.

'Growing up, I faced it by confronting the bullies. As I grew, I learned to love myself more every day, and not pay attention to the negative people, which helped a lot.'

She said the reason behind her nickname, which makes reference to the pigment that gives people their skin tone, is to encourage people to be confident in themselves.

'Because of my dark, melanin rich complexion and because I want to inspire young girls and let them know that we are all goddesses inside and out. 

'The message I have for my sisters is that how you look doesn't matter as long as you feel beautiful inside,' she said.  

Spotlight: She is quickly rising to prominence online where she has more than 220,000 Instagram followers 

Self-love: She said bullies tried to make her feel uncomfortable about her skin color

Strength: But instead she demonstrated that she did not care about their comments

Khoudia, who started modelling just two years ago when she was 17, said she wants to change beauty industry perceptions of 'beauty' by encouraging people to be confident in the way they look. 

She wrote on Facebook: 'One of my goals is to make all my dark-skinned sisters out there laugh at those with their "beauty standards" they're nobody noooobody to tell you how you should look. Start glowing queen. [sic]' 

Khoudia has inspired thousands of people around the world with her striking looks and inner strength.

More diversity is needed on catwalks, she said. Adding: 'We need more women of color in fashion period.' 

In terms of the future, she said 'the sky's the limit' and that she would like to help inspire and empower young black women. 

She said: '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.   

Confident: Khoudia shared a screengrab of an interview in which she was quoted saying: 'They nicknamed me darky, daughter of the night'

Beauty: She has inspired thousands of people around the world with her striking looks and inner strength

Soaring popularity: Her management, The Colored Girl Inc, said she has shot to Instagram fame in just a few weeks

Open: Khoudia talked about her experiences with racism in an Instagram post

Khoudia recently shared a screengrab of an interview in which she was quoted saying: 'They nicknamed me darky, daughter of the night.'

She wrote in the caption: 'Bullies use to come with all kind of names thinking I'll feel bad about my color well guess what I loved them all and showed them how much I didn't care about what they think. [sic]'

Her management, The Colored Girl Inc, said she has shot to Instagram fame in just a few weeks.

They said recently on Instagram: 'When we "discovered" Khoudia she had less than 100 followers and maybe 10 post in total. 

'She's a rare beauty that we had to have in our campaign. In less than a month she now has almost 100k followers.'  

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