Gamechangers: South Jersey Teen Creates Platform To Fight Colorism

UP TO 50'S AND 60'S WITH RAINRETURNING BY TUESDAY OF NEXTWEEK, NATASHA AND UKEE BACK TOYOU.IN RECOGNITION OF THEBLACK HISTORY MONTH WE AREHONORING GAME CHANGERS MAKINGA POSITIVE IMPACT ONCOMMUNITIES OF THE COLOR INOUR AREA.SOUTH JERSEY TEEN, ONE TIMEBULLIED CREATED A PLATFORM TOFIGHT COLORISM.REPORTER CHERRI GREGG HAS HERSTORY.REPORTER: MEET AMAYA, AKAAMAYA ROCK STAR.♪♪I'M AN AUTHOR, ARTIST,ENTERTAINER, ENTREPRENEUR, IDO EVERYTHING.REPORTER: AT 17WILLINGBORO, NEW JERSEY NATIVEHAS BEEN HONING HER CRAFT,SINCE SHE WAS A LITTLE GIRL,NEVER AFRAID TO TAKE A STAGE.I JUST FEEL LIKE IT WASALWAYS LIKE INSTILLED IN MEREPORT REPORT RAISED WITH ANADMIRATION FOR STRUGGLE FORCIVIL RIGHTS SHE ADDED THETITLE ACTIVIST TO HURLEYS OFIDENTITIES WHEN SHE WAS JUST ATWEEN.PEOPLE WERE TEASING ME ATSCHOOL ABOUT MY SKIN COMPLEX.REPORTER: WHILE INELEMENTARY SCHOOL BULLIESTARGETED AMAYA BECAUSE OF HERDARK SKIN.I WOULDN'T EVEN LOOK IN THEMIRROR.I WAS JUST SO DAMAGE.REPORTER: THANKS TO SUPPORTFROM FAMILY INCLUDING MOM KAY,AMAYA TRANSFORMED THATEXPERIENCE BY WRITING THISBOOK ABOUT A GIRL WHO FIGHTSBACK, AGAINST COLORISM BYSTARTING A MOVEMENT CALLED,MEDICAL CONTINUE MATTERS.IT HELPS ME GET MYCONFIDENCE TO GET THEIRCONFIDENCE.SHE WROTE A SONG EMPOWERINGGIRLS TO LOVE THEIR COMPLEX.REPORTER: HOW DOES IT MAKEYOU FEEL WHEN A YOUNG GIRL WHOREAD THE BOOKS SAYS, IT HELPEDME.IT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE IHAVE A PURPOSE, LIKE I AM ASAFE SPACE PERSON AND I FEELLIKE GOD PUT ME ON THIS COURTDO SOMETHING.REPORTER: SHE PUSHES APURPOSE FORWARD AND ORGANIZEDA WATER DRIVE A BOOK DRIVE FORFOSTER YOUTH.SHE GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOLEARLY AND IN HER FRESHMAN YEAROF COLLEGE.I NEVER WANT TO STOPLEARNING.ALL OF THE WHILE PERFORMINGACROSS THE COUNTRY.IT JUST MAKE ME FEEL LIKEI'M DOING WHAT I'M SUPPOSETODD DO.SHARING A POSITIVE MESSAGE,CHANGING THE GAME BY BEING HERBEST SELF.YOU AS YOURSELF, LOVEYOURSELF BECAUSE THAT IS WHATMAKES YOU, YOU.REPORTER: IN SOUTH JERSEYCHERRI GREGG FOR KYW NEWSRADIO FOR CBS-3 "EYEWITNESSNEWS".