We all have moments where we look at our blonde sisters and wonder "what if?" -what if I looked like her? Her eyes are light, her hair is thick and long, and her skin is flawless.

We look at models on Instagram and wonder if our skin could be lightened anymore. We all have heard it from our mothers at one point: "Stop, don't go outside. You are going to get dark."

We see skin lightening products in our community stores. When you go to pick up your chai masala or your mangos, there the little pink box sits. Fair n Lovely. We all have heard our mothers talk about it before. How nice it would be to be light-skinned, or have a nondescript name, like Norah Jones or Ben Kingsley.

To my sisters, we need to stop this mentality. We are beautiful, no matter what color our skin is. We are beautiful, no matter how complicated our names might be.

Our eyes are one thousand shades of honey and tea. Our eyes are one thousand shades of the tree of life. Our eyes are one thousand shades of amber and flame.

Our eyes and skin might range on the spectrum, but there is no shame in being a woman of melanin. From olive to gold to clay to dark umber, every single color is beautiful.

Remember to love yourself. Light a fire within yourself. Your darkness does not subdue your radiance.