Social media influencer and motivational speaker Donna Briggs has become one of the most controversial figures of 2025 after old photos resurfaced showing her dramatic transformation—from a visibly Black woman to someone who now appears white with platinum blonde hair and pale skin.
Roughly a decade ago, Briggs was known in the entertainment world as a charismatic Black radio host who interviewed major celebrities including Adele, Jamie Foxx, Viola Davis, and Alicia Keys. She worked with CBS’s Life Talk Radio and Quincy Jones Productions, where she built a strong reputation as a bubbly, ambitious media personality.
Fast forward to today, and the change is almost unrecognizable. Briggs now presents herself online as a platinum blonde woman with strikingly pale skin and altered facial features. The transformation has been so extreme that fans have compared her new look to the movie White Chicks, calling the change “unnerving” and “uncanny.”
Despite extensive photographic and video evidence showing her as a Black woman years ago, Briggs has repeatedly denied ever being Black. She insists that her darker complexion was the result of tanning, not her natural skin tone.
“Yes, when I used to tan and they claimed I’m Black. Yes, amazing. People have nothing better to do,” she wrote in a social media post.
Briggs also claims both of her parents are white, arguing that she simply “returned” to her natural complexion after she stopped tanning. However, her explanation has done little to quiet skepticism, as many observers find the claim implausible given the extent of her transformation.
Beyond questions of race and identity, many have expressed alarm over Briggs’ apparent physical condition. Recent videos show her eyes moving erratically and struggling to focus, as well as a noticeable sensitivity to light—she now frequently wears sunglasses, even indoors.
Doctors and dermatologists warn that aggressive skin bleaching can cause severe medical complications, including mercury poisoning, neurological damage, and long-term vision issues. Prolonged use of skin-lightening products can also increase the risk of cancer and cause irreversible discoloration.
According to her website, Briggs now describes herself as a “celebrity entertainment host, luxury lifestyle expert, actress, model, and motivational speaker.” She runs Make Every Day a Great Day LLC, a brand centered around positivity and success that she claims reaches over 500,000 followers across social media platforms.
Her content today focuses heavily on motivational messages about “abundance” and “positive energy.” However, viewers have noticed increasingly erratic livestreams and rambling monologues, prompting concern about her mental health.
Briggs’ case has reignited conversations about “transracial identity,” drawing comparisons to Rachel Dolezal, the former NAACP chapter president who identified as Black despite being born to white parents.
The two, however, represent opposite cases—Dolezal transitioned from white to Black, while Briggs appears to have transitioned from Black to white, all while denying she was ever Black. Unlike Dolezal, who publicly acknowledged her biological background, Briggs continues to insist that she has always been white.
Scholars and sociologists say the comparison highlights a crucial distinction: while gender identity has recognized psychological and biological bases, racial identity remains a social construct tied to history, ancestry, and lived experience.
Online reaction to Briggs’ transformation has been overwhelmingly negative. Critics accuse her of promoting self-hatred, cultural erasure, and deception. Some believe her transformation reflects internalized racism, while others view it as a disturbing example of social media-fueled identity distortion.
Comment sections across her platforms are filled with users posting before-and-after photos and questioning her claims. Despite the backlash, Briggs continues to post motivational videos and lifestyle content, seemingly unfazed by the criticism.
Experts say Briggs’ story reveals a troubling intersection between social media influence, beauty culture, and the pressures of identity performance online. Her transformation also underscores the dangerous normalization of extreme cosmetic alteration in pursuit of social validation.
Health experts warn that the global skin-lightening industry—valued at billions of dollars—continues to thrive despite known health risks and international bans on products containing mercury.
