Archives 2001

CHICAGO--Friends of Quintilla Evans completely caught her off guard when they organized a three mile march, prayer vigil and press conference to announce to the world that Ms. Evans was empathically not the cutest person they'd ever met, but just an "average looking, light-skin Black woman."

For nearly her whole life, Ms. Evans, 25, has believed that she is at least one of-if not the "cutest woman" on earth. "I swear to God! I am very cute," she said to a group of friends at a bar a week before the demonstration. "Especially when my hair and nails are done. It's like yeah! The men all pause, when I enter the room."

Her friends disagree. "People thinking they are cute when they are not is a sickness that afflicts thousands of people, but no one wants to really discuss it. We love Quintilla, but she refuses to believe anyone who tells her she is not all that," said Keisha Sharp, her friend for 15 years, who spoke at the press conference. "This is not just about Quintilla, but the hundreds of thousands of people out there just like her, who refuse to accept reality. I cannot recall the number of times I've looked Quintilla in the face and said damn! You're really not that cute."

Led by Ms. Evans' boyfriend, Julius Washington, the group marched down 87th Street with banners and signs that read, "Quintilla looks like a gorilla," and "U-G-L-Y, You ain't got no alibi, you ugly." The march ended in front of Ms. Evans southside apartment.

A host of television, radio and print news outlets covered the event. "We have called the press here today hoping to accomplish two things," said Mr. Washington. "Quintilla is our friend; we love her and want her to get better. This is our public plea. We want to make a public plea to Quintilla to get help. And before she can get help, she must admit that she has a problem. 

"Qunitilla, as your boyfriend and someone who cares about you deeply, I must tell you before the world--you are really NOT all that cute. You are an average looking, light-skin Black woman," said Mr. Washington, flanked by Ms. Evans mother, Martha Evans. "We don't blame you, Quintilla. You are a victim. All your life, your mother told said you were cute. Well, she lied and she's standing with us here today to atone for misguiding you."

During an exclusive, but brief phone interview with Bean Soup Times, Ms. Evans said she was "shocked" by her so-called friends behavior and only had one thing to say to them: "Stop hating."