We love to see a success story here at Grass-fields, especially a self-made woman of color! We're always shouting out some of our favorite black-owned brands, and this girl's story is inspirational to us all.
Kheris Rogers was relentlessly bullied for her skin color in a mostly African American school, suffering from colorism, a scourge that so many other darker skinned people have sadly experienced. She had already transferred from another school to escape tormentors, but was still singled-out at her new school.
So many big names have come forward recently with their stories, including Oscar winning actress Lupita Nyongy'o, and how they dealt with being singled out growing up, and succeeding in the entertainment world.
But often these stories coming from successful and well-known people may seem very far removed from many of our experiences. Kheris, at just 11 years old, was able to turn her pain into art, and has created a fashion line that's catching all the buzz.
Named 'Flexin' In My Complexion', the creative Kheris thanked her grandmother for coming up with the name. Telling her to "flex in her complexion", Kheris' grandmother spawned a family catchphrase, and a movement.
Since starting in April 2017, the brand has sold over 10,000 shirts and made over $100,000. The brand and Kheri's story have gained attention across the world, being posted about by big names including Snoop Dogg and Lupita Nyong'o.
So inspiring, we salute you Young Queen! We can't wait to see what the future holds for her!
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