In March 2017, one thoughtful elder sister tweeted photos of her then-10-year-old sister in an attempt to brighten up the little one’s day, who was being bullied at her school.
“My sister is only 10, but already royalty,” the then-22-year-old Taylor Pollard had posted on Twitter, with the hashtag #FlexinInHerComplexion, saying their grandmother used to say to let the girls know how beautiful they were, according to CBS News.
Kheris Rogers attends Nickelodeon's 2018 Kids' Choice Awards at The Forum on March 24, 2018, in Inglewood, California. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
To their surprise, the tweet, which is now no longer online, went viral in no time, gaining thousands of likes and inspiring Kheris Rogers. The viral post then encouraged Kheris to create her own clothing line—Flexin’ In My Complexion, which is aimed at helping people boost their confidence.
She proven that it’s confidence, hard work, and vision to attain some goals that matter in life.
Kheris Rogers attends The Teen Vogue Summit 2018 Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Teen Vogue
“I’ve been bullied a lot, like in the first grade, I went to school with just four other black kids,” Kheris told Mic. “And kids used to bully me because they weren’t used to my skin tone. There was an incident with a teacher and we had to draw ourselves and she gave us a black crayon instead of a brown crayon, and I was really upset.”
“Kheris really thought she was the only one going through this, but Kheris now realizes that this is a global issue,” Pollard said. “That’s what pushed Kheris, because she thought ‘If I’m feeling this way, then we want to help others who are feeling bad about themselves too.’”
The girls first made the Flexin T-shirts, which vent viral. They sold their first batch of T-shirts in just 10 minutes, as per Teen Vogue.
Kheris Rogers attended the Teen Vogue Summit in December 2018. Sarah Morris/Getty Images
“I feel confident in it myself because, even if I still get picked on because I’m darker when I put on the T-shirt, it makes me feel bold,” Kheris said. “It doesn’t matter how dark or light you are, just knowing that it’s beautiful and that your complexion doesn’t determine your beauty.”
Not long after, Kheris started making backpacks that read “The Miseducation of Melanin” and other apparel and accessories as per the Associated Press.
In September 2017, Kheris made history by becoming the youngest fashion designer to showcase her work in New York Fashion Week. This young entrepreneur then caught the attention of Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyongo, who sported one of her T-shirts.
Since then, the under-14 girl has been featured in Essence magazine, walked the runway of “America’s Next Top Model,” and also been chosen as of Teen Vogue’s “21 Under 21” inspiring girls and femmes of 2018, as per the Associated Press.
(L-R) Kheris Rogers and Laurie Hernandez attend Nickelodeon's 2018 Kids' Choice Awards at The Forum on March 24, 2018, in Inglewood, California. Emma McIntyre/Getty Images
The 13-year-old was also picked by LeBron James, an American basketball player, as one of 16 people to help mark his 16th shoe release with Nike, modeling in ads for the company.
Kheris is supported by her family. Taylor, who is now 25, is Kheris’s manager.
Kheris’s mom, Erika Pollard, couldn’t be more proud of what Kheris is achieving at such a young age. “As a parent, of course, you know, it was heartbreaking, but it made us stronger,” she said of the rough years. “It pulled us together as a family because it’s something that we had to conquer together. Now she’s making a positive difference within her community, which I’m so proud of at such a young age.”
According to Kheris, who now has a lot of friends in school, “Flexin’ in My Complexion isn’t just about me,” she said.
“It’s about every brown, dark, freckled, fair-skinned person who wants to tell the world, ‘I am more than just the color of skin,’” she further added.
She is now spreading this message of hope across the world.
“My vision for the future is everyone being themselves and loving themselves on the inside and out,” she said. “I just love my complexion, I love who I am—and everyone should.”
Kheris Rogers speaks onstage at WE Day California at The Forum on April 25, 2019, in Inglewood, California. Jesse Grant/Getty Images for WE Day
Epoch Inspired Staff
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Epoch Inspired staff cover stories of hope that celebrate kindness, traditions, and triumph of the human spirit, offering valuable insights into life, culture, family and community, and nature.
