her a new way of seeing themselves. >> i received a letter from a girl. and i'd like to share just a small part of it with you. "dear lupita," it reads. "i think you're really lucky to be this black but yet this successful in hollywood overnight. i was just about to buy dentures, whitening cream to lighten my skin when you appeared on the world map and saved me. ." my heart bled a little when i read those words. i could not guess my first job out of school would be so powerful in and of itself in that it would propel me to be such an image of hope in the same way that the women of "the color purple" were to me. i remember a time when i too felt unbeautiful. i put on the tv and only saw pale skin. i got teased and taunted about my night-shaded skin. and my one prayer to god, the