Lupita Nyong’o’s Ascent to Hollywood’s A-list and People Magazine’s Most Beautiful Person of 2014 Award

The world seems to be fascinated with Lupita Nyong’o. She’s now considered the current Hollywood “It” girl after winning the Oscar for best supporting actress for her role in the movie “12 Years a Slave”.  Who can blame all the focus on such an exquisite young woman? Not I, because I’m one of many who find her captivating. It seems she has cast her spell on many of us. Everywhere we look, we see her on magazine covers, in movies, and doing interviews. Lupita is not your typical Hollywood type. She’s an individual who is forging her way through the crazy world of entertainment and breaking the mold.  Her fashion sense is elegant, colorful, and fashion forward.  Her physical appearance, top-model gorgeous and unique.
Born in Mexico City, Mexico, she considers herself a Mexican-born Kenyan. Her parents, both Kenyan born, moved to Mexico after a series of disturbing events under Kenya’s past autocratic government. After spending years in Mexico, her family returned to Kenya. Lupita spent most of her childhood in Kenya, growing up in Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi. At 16 years old, her parents sent her back to Mexico to study Spanish. Her family then moved to the United States. In America, Lupita discovered racial distinction. Having grown up in Kenya, she had never experienced black skin color as being the defining factor for describing a person. She states in an interview with CNN, “…I was a girl, I was my ethnic group Luo, I was middle class, I was many things before I was black.” She continued, “when I came here and realized that in America that’s the first thing that people notice about me.”
Lupita is an accomplishment young woman. She earned her undergraduate degree from Hampshire College in Massachusetts and her graduate degree from Yale School of Drama. She speaks Luo, English, Spanish, Swahili, and Italian. No doubt her parents’ philosophy in raising Lupita and her 5 siblings helped guide her to her calling. Her parents told her, “Figure out what your purpose is on this world and then do it and do it to excellence; no matter what it is, whether it’s being a janitor or a doctor, as long as you’re filling your life’s purpose then we’re good.” They gave her the courage to explore finding her purpose. In my opinion, this is the best gift a parent can give their child. We all should be so fortunate.
Lupita recalls when growing up, her mother always told her she was beautiful, now she says she’s starting to believe her mother. Especially after her latest distinction as People Magazine’s Most Beautiful Person of 2014. Congratulations Lupita!! You are a true beauty, inside and out. Enjoy your recognition.