One little girl's struggle for self-worth has inspired an outpouring of love on social media, after a mother shared a tender exchange captured on video between her and her young daughter, named Ariyonna.
Tweeting under the name Lil Wave Daddy, the mother shared a video of her doing Ariyonna's hair, with the young girl catching a glimpse of herself on video and breaking down crying, saying: "I'm so ugly."
What came next was a beautiful pep talk from her mum, in which she filled her daughter's tank with reassurance that she's "the most beautiful girl" with "pearly white teeth", "beautiful chocolate skin" and "two dimples."
"Nobody has two dimples!" The mother exclaimed, looking her daughter in the eyes. "You have two dimples! Not even I have two dimples!"
The response on social media was heartwarming to the extreme, with black artists doing their best illustrations of Ariyonna - even imagining the girl in her dream role as a school teacher.
"Thank you all you guys are amazing!" The mother tweeted.
"Every color is beautiful. Ariyonna loves all the love & and I genuinely appreciate what God is doing! Be blessed."
Soon, writer and director Matthew A. Cherry, the man behind shows including Blackish, was sending the family a goodie bag filled with picture books depicting beautiful black girls.
"A small sample of books I plan on sending to little Ariyonna and @LilWaveDaddy through @fiyawata and #ProfessionalBlackGirls," Cherry tweeted.
"Looking for some more. Hit me with suggestions."
Viewers were visibly moved by the clip, with one follower writing: "One of the most beautiful moments I have ever seen. Made me have hope basking in the light of your love for that beautiful girl. It just takes a spark to light a fire."
