Yara Shahidi Is The Leader We Didn't Know We Needed
Yara Shahidi stole our hearts as Eddie Murphy's adorable daughter on Imagine That. And now, she's kicking ass and taking names as the main character on the Black-ish spinoff, Grownish, and gradually coming to be one of the industry's most influential teenagers. The activist advocates for social issues on and off screen, was recently accepted to Harvard, and is a fashion icon at the same damn time. You know you're lit when Michelle Obama writes your letter of recommendation and Oprah tells you that your future's so bright, it burns her eyes.
The actress has actively been a crusader for women's rights, gender identity, and racial equality, making the statement that unless everyone has a voice, none of us do. She even celebrated her 18th birthday by launching an initiative to increase voter turnout when she hosted a voter registration party. Now if that isn't commitment to civic duty, I don't know what is.
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The 18-year-old recently shared her passion for political engagement in Oprah's SuperSoul conversations:
"Our generation realizes that age has never been a limit in terms of social activity and being able to look back at the civil rights movement... and see that it does not matter how old you are to get engaged. If anything, it is so important to make it our mission, especially if you have the privilege to do so, to be socially aware and to help our global community."
In last week's episode of Grownish, Shahidi tackled political protests but this wasn't the first time that the actress has gone toe-to-toe with "the man." Shahidi feels that her platform gives her even more incentive to be politically engaged. Shahidi told PorterEdit:
"If we are going to be on this red carpet, what are we going to talk about? We are not going to just ignore the fact that there are riots happening and there is a KKK rally. And so, just being with a team that supports that [is special]. There is so much fear of actors being political, like that's not our place, even though I feel that media has always been so inherently political."
The ambition that powers the philanthropic powerhouse is rooted in her reverence for the women that paved her way. At Glamour's International Day of the Girl event Shahidi said:
"While our political and social climate is ever changing rocky and scary at times, we can look back and better understand our societal structures and how revolutionaries of the past have changed these structures, and we have to look at this because then we can figure out how we change these structures because we are a result of their work. And the next generation and the generation after that will be a result of the work that we do."
Shahidi's revolutionary spirit is proof that as women with purpose, we all hold the power to spark much-needed societal change, but the change will only be successful if we do it together.
Featured image by Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images
Taylor "Pretty" Honore is a spiritually centered and equally provocative rapper from Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a love for people and storytelling. You can probably find me planting herbs in your local community garden, blasting "Back That Thang Up" from my mini speaker. Let's get to know each other: @prettyhonore.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Sheila Rashid's Androgynous Approach To Unisex Clothing Is A Lesson In Embracing Individuality
The ItGirl 100 List is a celebration of 100 Black women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table.
For Sheila Rashid, it all started with some free-hand drawings and a few strokes of paint.
The Chicago-based clothing designer and creative director of Sheila Rashid Brand recalls using her spare time in high school to hand paint designs on t-shirts and distressed hoodies, distributing them to classmates as walking billboards for her art.
Rashid sought to pursue fashion design at Columbia College in Chicago but eventually took the self-taught route to build upon her knack for crafting one-of-a-kind, androgynous pieces.
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Thanks to the mentorship of local designers taking her under their wings, Rashid was able to gain valuable experience in putting together collections and creating patterns; equipping her with them with the necessary skills to pursue her own collections.
After two years of living in New York, Rashid returned home to the Chi and uncovered the unique flair she could offer the city. “I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world,” she tells xoNecole. “That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
For the Midwest native, inspiration comes from her time around creative peers and the city’s notorious winters — known to be a main character in many Chicagoans stories. “It's a different perspective and mindset when I'm making stuff because of the weather here,” she explains. “When we get summer, it’s ‘Summertime Chi’ — it's amazing. It's beautiful. Still, I find myself always making clothes that cater to the winter.”
"I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world. That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
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Many designers have a signature aesthetic or theme in their creations. In Rashid’s design story, dancing between the lines of femininity and masculinity is how she’s been able to distinguish herself within the industry. Her androgynous clothing has garnered the eye of celebrities like Zendaya, Chance the Rapper, WNBA star Sydney Colson, and more — showing her range and approach to designs with inclusivity in mind.
“I think I do reflect my own style,” she says. “When I do make pieces, I'm very tomboyish, androgynous. My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes.” From denim to overalls, and color-drenched outerwear, Rashid has mastered the structure of statement pieces that tell a story.
“Each collection, I never know what's going to be the thing I'm going to focus on. I try to reflect my own style and have fun with the storytelling,” she shares. “I look at it more like it's my art in this small way of expressing myself, so it's not that calculated.”
"My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes."
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Still, if you were able to add up all the moments within Rashid’s 20-year career in design, one theme that has multiplied her into becoming an “ItGirl” is her confidence to take up space within the fashion industry as a queer, Black woman. “Being an ItGirl is about being yourself, loving what you do, finding your niche, and mastering that,” she says.
No matter where you are on your ItGirl journey, Rashid says to always remain persistent and never hesitate to share your art with the world. “Don’t give up. Even if it's something small, finish it and don't be afraid to put it out,” she says, “It's about tackling your own fear of feeling like you have to please everybody, but just please yourself, and that's good enough.”
To learn more about the ItGirl 100 List, view the full list here.
Featured image Courtesy