Khoudia Diop, the 19-year-old student and model from Senegal grew up getting teased and picked on because of the darkness of her skin, according to interviews she’s given to The Huffington Post and the Daily Mail. But somehow, she managed to embrace her difference instead of changing her appearance to feel more accepted.

And now the world is showing Khoudia with love. She’s been quickly amassing a social media fan base; her Instagram follower count is now above 300,000. She uses hashtags like #BlackGirlMagic, #MelaninOnFleek, and #DarkSkin on her gorgeous model shots.

Celebrating her skin tone wasn’t always easy. “Growing up, I faced it by confronting the bullies,” she told the Daily Mail. “As I grew, I learned to love myself more every day, and not pay attention to the negative people, which helped a lot.”

Though Khoudia still faces hateful comments online, she focuses her energy on inspiring others to love themselves. It seems to be working. “You are absolutely gorgeous!” wrote user kirstennicole126 on Instagram. “I’m glad you didn’t let the bullying destroy you! Wish i had your confidence!”

Khoudia is now working with The Colored Girl while pursuing a degree full-time in Paris. “I’ve learned to ignore the negative people and just be a living example of confidence and self-love,” she told The Huffington Post. “I let my life, and success, speak for itself.”

Credit: cosmopolitan