An Instagram video of a natural hair four-year-old named Ariyonna has received encouraging words after she was seen looking at herself in the mirror while getting her hair done. Ariyonna began to cry after calling herself ugly.
During the video, Ariyonna can be seen getting her locks taken care of by a hairdresser, identified as Lil Wave Daddy, also an Atlanta rapper, before looking into the camera and stating “I’m so ugly!”
The hairdresser would go on to comfort Ariyonna and encourage her and let her know that she is pretty.
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“Don’t say that! You are so pretty!,” the hairdresser said. “When you look at yourself you suppose to say, ‘I am so pretty’— you got the prettiest little dimples, you are so cute.”
After encouraging words from the hairdresser, Ariyonna began to cry. The moment has become a rallying moment across the Internet to support and uplift Ariyonna and all Black girls.
Lil Wave Daddy, identified as Shabria in comments, detailed the moment on Instagram.
“While doing her hair she had all the energy in the world than out of nowhere she looks at herself and gets soooo discouraged,” she wrote. “It broke my heart into pieces because she has the GREATEST energy and the most beautiful smile and heart!:
“I just think when kids go to school they learn and pick up so many different things that they don’t know the definition but they know the feeling,” she added.
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Throughout the Instagram comments, users would spoke words of encouragement to Ariyonna.
“This baby is beautiful! Those big brown eyes and that cute little face. Someone has told her that. Thank you for reminding her that black is beautiful.,” one user wrote.
“This beautiful baby’s words broke my heart! You couldn’t of handled this situation any better the love, affirmation, and inspiring words couldn’t of been said any better!,” wrote another.
In a follow-up post, Shabria posted the little girl with a quote to recite: “I’m Black & Beautiful.”
“Devil you won’t steal this baby joy! Thank you to everyone who sent kind words to Ariyonna,” Shabria wrote. You can see the follow-up “The Queen Has Risen” post below.