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Exclusive: Why 16-Year-Old Yara Shahidi Is Choosing To Be Woke In Hollywood
Today's teens refuse to be silenced.
They're not settling for sounding off on social media, nor are they accepting the labels that society has assigned to them. They're defining themselves for themselves, and refining their voices so that the world actually stops and pays attention to what they have to say.
At least that's the case for the 2,500 teens that packed into the Omni Dallas hotel last March for the National Keystone Conference. No, it wasn't a cult gathering, though adolescents on a mission to master their voices and bring about change may seem a little unorthodox in today's world of seemingly narcissistic selfie-takers. It was, however, an assembly of those who will one day become world leaders, game changers, and industry disrupters. But no need for them to save the planet just yet, today the discussion centered around building confidence and taking ownership of their paths. It's a topic that actress and humanitarian Yara Shahidi is unashamedly passionate about.
“It just affirmed many of my beliefs, just seeing teens so active in their community," she says, reflecting on her own empowering speech, which she compares to a Ted Talk event. “It proves that we're more than just an anomaly—teens that can be heard and teens that have an opinion. We're not the anomaly, but we are turning into the norm."
If you thought teens were just social media masters fishing for the latest celebrity gossip, guess again. They're actually culture consumers who are as well versed on racial discourse as they are radio rhymes. In other words, they're woke. And like Yara, many just want their voices to not be counted out of progressive discussions. According to the youth leader, the platforms are present; it's just a matter of changing people's perspective. “I think often times even when it comes to media, it's hard for adults to even relate to teens because we're going through that phase where we want to be independent, so what they may only see is us on our phones when we're [really] talking about different things that matter to us," she says.
Talking to Yara, it's almost easy to forget that the child star is only 16 years old. She speaks with an air of confidence normally reserved for those ten or twenty years her senior. Yet there still exists a youthful enthusiasm that insinuates that she hasn't quite experienced enough to balance that vigor with a dose of reality. Her conversations are laced with hope and possibility, which is certainly needed in a world where activists and change agents grow weary in their fights for social and societal freedom. In actuality, Yara is right where she needs to be—culturally aware but not culturally confined, and willing to voice her frustrations without fear of being silenced.
"I feel more comfortable sharing and I feel like I want to be heard."
“I've always had strong opinions and my opinions have changed over time, but I think I feel more comfortable sharing and I feel like I want to be heard,“ says Yara. “I think it really started with [the show] Black-ish, and getting the opportunity and platform to speak about things that matter to me, because when you talk about Black-Ish, you're talking more than just any TV show; you're talking about subject matters that we touch."
On the hit television show Yara plays the sassy and seemingly self-absorbed oldest daughter, Zoey. Though they are similar in age, she says that the fictional character is no way a reflection of her, but that she does take advantage of the opportunity to bring depth and pieces of herself to the character. “I want her to be more than just the seemingly shallow girl that is on her phone all the time. It's okay for her to have that bravado and confidence, that I definitely do not want to take away from her, but just adding in the facets of confidence and translate it in all areas of her life. It's okay to grow with the character. It's okay to not know exactly our end goal, let's just continually have her evolve. Let's make sure that she doesn't stay stagnant, and definitely [writers] listened. Even though Zoey is not me and I'm in no way Zoey—they paid attention to who we are alike and see how we can take the different facets of Yara and translate them and put them into Zoey's language."
While Zoey grows in character, Yara is also constantly evolving herself as she expands her intellectual palate. On set she's being educated on everything from racial injustice to black family traditions that are often frowned upon (e.g. spanking). But off set she's taking in more worldly ideals centered around humanism. Traveling around the world since the age of seven has given the history buff a new perspective of what life means beyond the confinements of her African-American and Iranian heritage—and it turns out, it doesn't involve race at all.
“I ended up doing this program at Oxford, and there were people from Singapore, China, Latvia—all over the world. And what was interesting was that there were some unique cultural differences or our social norms were different for each of us based on where we grew up, but to bring teens into one place for a month, we all ended up clicking. And it wasn't that we clicked based on where everyone was from, but more so the commonalities that run throughout us all. I feel like travel supports and reaffirms the idea that we are all people. I shouldn't speak for everybody, but I feel like sometimes what causes problems and separation amongst different communities is this idea of not humanizing them."
"What causes problems and separation amongst different communities is this idea of not humanizing them."
She ties it back to why she loves acting and having the ability to understand what makes us who we are as people and not just as separate entities—the universal desires that make us more related than we are separated. “[In auditions], they give you a character breakdown. And when you get the character breakdown it's always at least a paragraph. And seeing how ethnicity is two sentences or two words in the paragraph, it's a part of who we are and a part we should always respect and cherish, but it's not what makes or breaks us. And I feel like understanding and connecting because we are a community of humans is really inspiring for everything that I do."
“Even being a part of Keystone, people travel from around the nation to get here, and it's because it's a bigger picture," she goes on to say. “It's not, 'well I'm this race or that race so I guess we shouldn't support each other,' but we're teens going through the same share of experiences so given this experience, how can we empower one another?"
As one of the next generation's budding humanitarians, Yara has one thing correct—we're stronger together than we are divided. While it may seem that the actress is far more advanced than the average teen, there are moments throughout our conversation where she divulges her innocence while simultaneously reminding me of my own age.
“I think I'm secretly a 90s kid," she says coyly. “Deep down inside, if there was a way for me to coexist in both generations, I will do it. This morning I was listening to my early 2000s playlist. I have a complete retro file."
Who would've thought that music from nearly two decades ago is now considered retro? It's a subtle hint that soon we'll be stepping aside to usher in the next generation of leaders. But in the meantime, we'll continue to watch as teens like Yara balance being influential—speaking around the country at leadership conferences and panel discussions—with posting light-hearted dance videos to Rihanna records.
Yes, she's undoubtedly growing, but she's not grown just yet.
Watch Yara's powerful speech at the Points of Light conference below:
Kiah McBride writes technical content by day and uses storytelling to pen real and raw personal development pieces on her blog Write On Kiah. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter at @writeonkiah.
This article is sponsored by Hulu.
UnPrisonedhas returned for its highly anticipated second season, delving deeper into the complex dynamics of the Alexander family.
The series premiere comes a year after its debut season garnered rave reviews from fans and critics and earned record-breaking ratings for Hulu's Onyx Collective brand. UnPrisoned's success can be attributed to its raw, relatable themes and comedic appeal.
Inspired by creator Tracy McMillan's life, the show follows Paige (Kerry Washington), a therapist and single mother whose life takes an unexpected turn when her father, Edwin (Delroy Lindo) --who was released from prison-- moves in with her and her teenage son, Finn (Faly Rakotohavana).
Throughout UnPrisoned's first season, viewers witnessed how Edwin's incarceration deeply affected Paige's life and relationships. In the series, Paige unpacks her trauma through interactions with her inner child and her online followers. Meanwhile, Edwin is overcoming specific struggles with his own past that led to his life of crime, including a dysfunctional upbringing and his mother's arrest. As the Alexanders attempt to reconcile, new challenges arise.
This new season promises to further explore their unconventional family dynamic. Here are several compelling reasons why season two of UnPrisoned should be on everyone's watchlist.
The Alexander Family Life Is Still In Shambles
UnPrisoned's second season resumes where the series left off, with Paige grappling with the fallout from her troubled therapy practice and Edwin navigating life independently after moving out. Meanwhile, Finn faces his own challenges. The teenager is battling anxiety and seeking information about his father—a topic Paige avoids discussing.
The Alexander Family Are Attending Therapy To Resolve Their Underlying Issues
Amid the chaos in their lives, the Alexander family decides to mend their bond by confronting their past traumas. They seek professional help and attend therapy sessions with a “family radical healing coach,” played by John Stamos, a new cast member. This collective effort aims to unravel the complexities of their shared history and strengthen their relationships.
The process of unraveling each character's internal conflicts and their potential impact on future relationships may clash with Paige's textbook therapy approach. While Paige is used to being in the therapist's seat in both career and family, this forces her into the unfamiliar role of a patient during therapy sessions. This shift would compel her to look in the mirror and try a radically different approach.
The Alexander Family Learned A Big Lesson During A Therapy Session
In therapy, the Alexanders are tasked with addressing their individual traumas to salvage their remaining relationships. One of the family therapist’s eccentric suggestions was an exercise involving a family wrestling match. During this session, Paige faces tough questions about her refusal to share information about Finn's father.
While it's unclear whether this scene is reality or fantasy, the image of the family duking it out in the ring certainly makes for hilarious yet compelling television.
Paige Tries Dating Again Following Failed Relationships
Amid her life's chaos, Paige decides to step back into the dating field. However, her many attempts have left her with mixed results. The dating apps have turned out to be a fail, and an outing with her ex Mal (Marque Richardson), who is also her father's parole officer, doesn’t go quite as expected after he brings an unexpected guest – his new girlfriend.
The situation takes an awkward turn when Mal's new partner learns why the former couple split, partly due to Paige's self-sabotage.
UnPrisoned Is A Perfect Balance Of Comedy And Drama
As a dramedy, UnPrisoned takes a comedic approach to its heavy subjects. The show takes us on a ride with Paige's dating misadventures and navigating a friendship with her ex.
Other lighthearted moments include Edwin's attempts at CPR based on online videos and, of course, the antics of the Alexander family's unconventional new healing coach.
The second season of UnPrisoned is now available on Hulu.
UnPrisoned | Season 2 Trailer | Hulu
Feature image courtesy
Blair Underwood Initially Turned Down 'Sex And The City' Because 'It Was About How Samantha Was Fascinated By Dating A Black Man’
Actor and heartthrob Blair Underwood is opening up about why he turned down Sex and the City the first time he was offered a role. Many fans of the HBO series may recall Blair's time on the show in which his character was dating Miranda (Cynthia Nixon). However, he was previously offered another role where his character would date Samantha (Kim Cattrall).
During his interview with AV Club, the Set It Off star revealed that he was uncomfortable with the initial offer due to the character's fascination with him being a Black man.
“I actually did say ‘no’ the first time,” he said. “The first time they had offered the role, to be honest with you, it was about how Samantha was fascinated by dating a Black man and wanted to know if, uh, all of the rumors were true about our anatomy! And I said, ‘Listen, I’m honored, thank you, but I just don’t want to play a character based on race, on curiosity about a Black man.'”
But that didn't stop them from reaching out again. This time he was offered to play Dr. Robert Leeds, the love interest to Miranda and he decided to go for it. "So they were nice enough to call about a year later, and I said, 'Well, is it gonna be about race?' And they said, 'No, no, no, we’re not even gonna mention race!' And I think it really did only come up maybe once," he recalled.
"It did five episodes, and I think Samantha mentioned it once, saying something about 'a Black doctor' that Miranda was dating. And that’s really been a consistent thing in my career: not wanting to be boxed as 'the Black guy.'
"I’ve had that conversation with many producers along the way, and they were so great. They said, 'No, he’s just a doctor who Miranda meets in the elevator, and they have a nice little fling.' And it was amazing."
Blair has had a wide-ranging career playing everything from a lawyer on L.A. Law to playing Madame CJ Walker's husband on Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madame CJ Walker. And during his interview, he revealed another role that he initially turned down, Set It Off. The movie, which is considered a classic in Black culture, stars Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Vivica A. Fox, and Kimberly Elise. Blair's character, Keith, played a banker and love interest to Jada's character, Stony.
He explained why he said no at first and eventually accepted the offer. "I had initially said “no” to that. Because I was playing this historic, iconic African-American historical figure in Jackie Robinson, and the time, y’know, there was Boyz N The Hood, and Menace II Society was out there, and I’d finished playing this noble Negro… [Laughs]," he said.
"And I’m reading the script, and there’s a scene where Jada Pinkett’s character—Jada Pinkett-Smith now—was going to sell her body so she could make some money to send her brother to college. And I remember, honestly, I threw the script across the room. I was, like, “I don’t want to do this. I want to do something uplifting for the Black culture and Black characters, and I don’t know if I want to see this.”
After a conversation with the movie's director F. Gary Gray and the actor's manager encouraging him to finish reading the script, Blair had a change of heart. What he first thought about the movie turned out to be totally different.
"So I finished the script, and I saw that the character they were asking me to play was really the love story in the midst of all of this turmoil of all of these characters, the four ladies: Queen Latifah, Vivica Fox, Kimberly Elise, and Jada," he explained.
"It was so well-written, it was such a great platform for them. And to be able to play the love story and the storyline that gave Jada’s character a leg up and a way out of this world, something to hope for, to wish for, someone to love her… I said, 'You know what? I’d like to be a part of that.'
"And I’m so glad I did, because that film resonates to this day. People all the time come up to me and say that they love that movie. So I’m glad that I did it."