At 10, Kheris Rodgers announced the launch of Flexin In My Complexion. She is currently aged fifteen (15) with every taste of positively impacting the black community through skin appreciation and self-love.
Kheris was bullied about her dark skin which led her to create a fashion line in a bid to instill confidence in young girls facing the same plight. During her schooling session, Kheris was constantly teased about her skin tone.
It was so derogatory and ridiculing to her that during an exercise years ago in grade school, her teacher asked students to draw themselves. Surprisingly, the teacher handed her a black crayon.
“I’m not that dark… I’m brown,” she replied.
In hopes that the racial bullying would subside, her mother transferred her to a new school. However, the bullying continued.
Kheris’s 22-year-old sister at the time, Taylor, took the matter up and helped dress and style her little sister for a Wiz-inspired fashion show.
Photos and images of her outlook caused a media sensation and made her go viral in a huge burst. People took to the media to compliment her skin.
When Taylor showed Kheris the flood of comments calling her “beautiful” and her skin “gorgeous,” Kheris’s face lit up.
The establishment of the clothing line and anti-bullying movement (Flexin’ In My Complexion) made her become the youngest designer to show at New York Fashion Week. Celebrities like Lupita Nyong’o and Alicia Keys are huge fans of Kheris.
Since starting the Flexin’ In My Complexion movement in 2017, I’ve learned a lot about racism and colorism. I think the three most important things I’ve learned are the value of education, inclusion, and self-love.
n these three short years since starting Flexin’ In My Complexion, I’ve learned that it would make a difference if everyone took the time to educate themselves about other people’s history and culture. What would happen if we all practiced inclusion and not exclusion? What if we all believed that loving one’s self is not affirmed on the domination of someone else? What if we were taught those school lessons? Maybe children would be more understanding and tolerant. Maybe those children would grow up to be more understanding and tolerant adults. I could see it changing the world. Couldn’t you? #blacklivesmatter
Kheris Rodgers.
