Charity Lawson has a lot to be grateful for, and as The Bachelorette’s Season 20 premiere date grows closer, she’s making sure we know that she knows it.
After making her reality TV debut to explore love with Zach Shallcross on Season 26 of The Bachelor, Charity was chosen to lead the way as 29 potential suitors try to make their mark in the endless cycle of matchmaking and heartbreak that is Bachelor Nation.
But before Charity takes center stage, she’s taking a moment to reflect on how far she’s come with a new Instagram post that has Bachelor Nation swooning.
In it, Charity is positively glowing as she sits poolside while catching some rays in a tiny, peach-colored string bikini with blue beaded details that give off big sand and surf vibes.
In two of the three photos from the set, Charity matched her bikini with a straw cowboy hat, adding aviator glasses to it in one snap. In the third photo, she swapped hats, opting for a baby blue Los Angeles Dodgers hat and a closer look at her natural makeup look.
“Poolside reflecting on the last few weeks…overflowing with gratitude,” Charity told her 104,000 Instagram followers, a number that is sure to rise in the coming weeks.
Charity Lawson reflects on being the second monoracial Black lead on The Bachelorette
Diversity has long been a hot topic in Bachelor Nation, where very few women of color have been picked to lead The Bachelorette.
In fact, in 20 seasons of the show, four minority women have taken on the role: Rachel Lindsay, Tayshia Adams, Michelle Young, and now, Charity Lawson.
Of those four, only Charity and Rachel are monoracial, meaning both of their parents are also Black. Tayshia and Michelle are both biracial.
When asked about joining The Bachelorette as a Black woman on The Jennifer Hudson Show, Charity shared how much it meant to her to be honored in this way.
“It’s huge. This puts me in the position of being the fourth woman of color to hold this role and the second monoracial African American woman to have the opportunity to find love,” Charity explained. “I notice and acknowledge that this is so much bigger than myself. It is my journey to love, but it’s bigger than me.”
She continued, “I am just honored to be able to hold that representation for other people at home that look like me, women of color. Like the little girls that can look to me and acknowledge that this is something that’s possible for them too.”
The Bachelorette’s first photos reveal trip to Fiji
With The Bachelorette headed to our screens in mere weeks, it’s normal for ABC to start revealing sneak peeks and promos for the upcoming premiere, and in Charity’s case, it looks like the first locale is beachy and perfect.
The Bachelorette and her guys are headed to Fiji for a trip that is sure to make lifetime memories.
PEOPLE shared a first look at Charity’s season, and she was in another bikini — blue this time with a purple animal print and a criss-cross strap around her neck.
It was also revealed on The Bachelor finale that Charity will be getting assistance from her brother Nehemiah, who showed up to ensure his sister didn’t pull any strays.
“I’m on the lookout because men can be dogs,” he said while donning a black wig and fedora with a fake mustache. “I have a plan. It involves a disguise, and it’s going to help me really find out more about these guys, to see if they’re really here for her for the right reasons or if it’s time to get them out. And I’m about to become Undercover Brother.”
The Bachelorette Season 20 premiere airs on Monday, June 26 at 9/8c on ABC.