Sulwe

Sulwe is a children's New York Times bestselling picture book by actress Lupita Nyong'o. It follows the story of a young girl who wishes for her dark skin to be lighter. The story is ultimately about colorism and learning to love oneself, no matter one's skin tone.
In 2020, the Kiswahili and Dholuo translations were made available in East Africa through Kenyan publishing firm Bunk Books.

Synopsis

Sulwe has the darkest skin in her family and in her school. She wishes for her skin to be lighter, but through a supernatural experience, she comes to love her dark skin color.

Film adaptation

In February 2021, Netflix announced an animated musical film adaptation based on the book, with Nyong'o attached as a producer on the film.

Controversy

In September 2021, Sulwe was pulled from classrooms in the Central York School District of Pennsylvania and from Duval Country, Florida in January of 2022.