5 Reasons Why Nabela Noor’s 'This is Me' Video is All of Us

If you don’t know who Nabela Noor is, please take a second to follow her immediately on YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram—you can thank us later!

Noor is a Bangladeshi-American beauty blogger from Pennsylvania who exudes self-love and humility. She has faced her share of criticism from the fashion industry and internet trolls alike, simply because she’s a plus-sized woman. Now, she has become an advocate for size and racial diversity in media, victims of bullying, and garnering self-love.

On New Year’s Eve, the beauty guru broke the internet with a tear-jerking video posted to her Instagram and Twitter called, “This is Me,” it’s titled after the original track by Keala Settle from “The Greatest Showman.” The video contains a powerful message depicted through Noor’s makeup as she writes, then wipes away, the words she felt once defined and crippled her; she transforms the ugly words into a message of self-love.

THIS IS ME 💪🏽 In 2017, I was called a pig, fat, ugly, a monster... I was told I should kill myself because of how I look. I received thousands of messages like this all year & there have been times where I let those words destroy me. But as my confidence strengthened, I became a fortress of self-love that could not be broken by the words of unhappy people. I learned quickly that happy people don’t say hurtful things. And that happiness begins with self-love. The girl I see in the mirror is beautiful with and without makeup, whether I am a size 6 or a size 16. So as 2018 begins, I’m leaving behind all of the words that once hurt me - all of the doubt that once controlled me. No one can tell us who we are. We are glorious. We are beautiful. We are worthy. This video is a small victory in my self-love revolution & I can’t wait to continue the fight in 2018. I am not the things they say I am. I will never be reduced to their words. I am brave, I am strong, I am who I’m meant to be. This is me. 💖 P R O D U C T S // @farsalicare unicorn essence @beautyblender @maybelline master camo color correcting pen @urbandecaycosmetics brow box, naked skin concealer, blush in “video” @jouercosmetics lipliner tawny rose @doseofcolors liquid lip in truffle @toofaced chocolate gold palette, born this way concealer & peel off glitter liner @maccosmetics @patrickstarrr #macpatrickstarrr setting powder @kkwbeauty contour kit @hudabeauty jade lashes & winter solstice palette SONG: “This is Me” Cover by @emoniwilkins & @the7thaveband. Originally sung by @KealaSettle from the incredible movie #thegreatestshowman #wakeupandmakeup #tarte #hudabeauty #toofaced #makeup #tutorial #diy #instatut #beauty #makeuptutorial #wtfbeautyhacks #1minutemakeup #beautylook #benefitcosmetics #allmodernmakeup #makeupclips #eyeblogbeauty #hairmakeupdiary #makegirlz #beautyqueens4ever #melformakeup #transformation #peachyqueenblog

A post shared by Nabela Noor (@nabela) on Dec 31, 2017 at 9:28am PST

240.5k Likes, 33.6k Comments - Nabela Noor (@nabela) on Instagram: "THIS IS ME 💪🏽 In 2017, I was called a pig, fat, ugly, a monster... I was told I should kill myself..."

Everyone has a story, and perhaps we can relate to one another with things that have traumatized us in the past. But, it’s celebratory to come out stronger, and as a unit, so we truly believe that Noor’s “This is Me” is all of us, and here’s why:

1. Social media has created a far-from-ideal atmosphere.

We are constantly staring at photoshopped, face-tuned, perfectly posed images of people who reinforce beauty standards that do not fit the average girl or boy.

2. We must understand that we are always in control of our happiness.

What other people say and do to us does not control us. What they do and say is a reflection of their inner feelings, and not us.

3. We are underrepresented in all media.

While there are some amazing South Asians in Hollywood and Bollywood, where are the curvey, plus-sized, dark-skinned men and women? We need people like Noor telling their stories and advocating for equality so that South Asian kids can have more role models on screens.

4. We have all been crippled by words.

Whether we experienced some form of bullying, societal/familial pressure, or negative self-talk, we can all relate to the struggle of loving and accepting our true, authentic selves.

5. Love begins from within us.

We have to start by loving ourselves, fiercely, so that we can spread love to others.

The response that has been pouring in for “This is Me” is beautiful. Noor didn’t just touch the hearts of brown people, but people of ALL races, ethnicities, and walks of life.

This post was originally published on BrownGirlMagazine.com.