A teacher at a high school in Cleveland, Ohio, apparently told a student that her African-themed gown was too “tacky for [the] prom,” but the teen wore it anyway and achieved viral fame.
Makalaya Zanders, who attends Garfield Heights High School in Cleveland, ultimately went ahead in wearing the African-theme gown after she saw one that model Nigerian model Jessica Chibueze wore to a ball in 2015.
(Instagram)“My dress was to make a point,” Zanders wrote on Instagram of the royal blue, fishtail gown that was made out of Ankara fabric.
She added: “That African style is beautiful. That I am comfortable with my Melanin and roots. And finally, that there’s nothing like Black girl Magic,” per The Voice.
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“After discussing how beautiful it was and that I would do a African theme with a (Caucasian) teacher I was told it wasn’t really ‘something you wear to prom/tacky for prom,'” the post added. “Hellbent on proving them wrong and being someone who loves our culture and African glamorous style, me and @indelible_dc decided to take the Ankara dress and put a twist on it.”
“I would not like to focus on the comment made by a teacher mainly because she apologized, and do not want this to overshadow the gown,” she added, according to MailOnline.
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“This is not about black or white, just appreciation of our heritage.”
Photos of the dress went viral on Instagram and elsewhere this week.
