Who is LUPITA NYONG'O??

Lupita Nyong'o 

Nyong'o was born in Mexico City, Mexico, to Dorothy and Peter Anyang' Nyong'o, a college professor turned politician in Kenya.It is a Luotradition to name a child after the events of the day, so her parents gave her a Mexican name, Lupita (a diminutive of Our Lady of Guadalupe).She is of Luo descent on both sides of her family, and is the second of six children.Nyong'o identifies as Mexican-Kenyan. Her father was the former Minister for Medical Services in the Kenyan government. At the time of Lupita's birth, he was a visiting lecturer in political science at El Colegio de México in Mexico City, and her family had been living in Mexico for three years.

Nyong'o moved back to Kenya with her parents when she was less than one year old,when her father was appointed a professor at the University of Nairobi. She grew up primarily in Kenya, and describes her upbringing as "middle class, suburban". At age sixteen, her parents sent her back to Mexico for seven months to learn Spanish.During those seven months, Nyong'o lived in Taxco, Guerrero, and took classes at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México's Learning Center for Foreigners.

Nyong'o currently resides in Brooklyn. She is fluent in her native Luo, English, Swahili and Spanish. On February 27, 2014, at the Essence Black Women In Hollywood luncheon in Beverly Hills, Lupita gave a speech on black beauty. Lupita talked about a letter she received from a young fan who stated she was unhappy with herself until she saw the actress on the cover of a magazine. In her speech Lupita talked about the insecurities she had about herself as a teenager; growing up as a dark skinned black girl, women that looked like her were barely portrayed in the media and when they were, they were not deemed as being beautiful. She said, her views about herself changed when she saw South Sudanese supermodel Alek Wek become successful.

Lupita holding Hoolywood Oscar award
during an interview Live with Kelly & Michael 

"When I saw Alek I inadvertently saw a reflection of myself that I could not deny,” she added. “Now, I had a spring in my step because I felt more seen, more appreciated by the far away gatekeepers of beauty".

The luncheon is held annually and is attended by top black women in the entertainment industry. Actress Kerry Washington who was in attendance wrote on her Twitter page ”Had the profound honor of hearing Lupita Nyong’o give this phenomenal speech yesterday”.

In 2013, her father was elected to represent Kisumu County in the Kenyan Senate.Nyong'o's mother is currently the managing director of the Africa Cancer Foundation and her owncommunications company. Other family members include Tavia Nyong'o who is a scholar and professor at New York University, Dr. Omondi Nyong'o who is a pediatric ophthalmologist in Palo Alto, CA, Kwame Nyong'o who is one of Kenya's leading animators and leading technology expert Isis Nyong'o, who was named one of Africa's most powerful women by Forbesmagazine.Her uncle, Aggrey Nyong'o, a prominent Kenyan physician, was killed in a road accident in 2002.