Yara Shahidi understands how important representation in the media is to black kids.
At the Boys and Girls Club 2016 Keystone Conference in Dallas, Texas; Yara opened up about how being a role model is necessary.
She tells the Huffington Post:
“Everybody’s story deserves to be told so it’s not saying there should only be black role models in media because that’s not life, there needs to be a spectrum. Cause, as of right now, we really only have one side.
“[R]epresentation is more than just theoretically the numbers… it’s what are they doing and can my child watch them and aspire to be something or assume that successful is the expectation and not the anomaly?”
It’s a shame a teenager has more desire to be a role model than women who are in almost twice her age. I’m sleep tho.
Agreed. I’ma keep it cute on this beautiful Sunday though.
I have no idea who the shade is in reference to, but women should have the right to decide if they want to be role models or not. It’s honorable that this young woman wants to be one, but that doesn’t change the fact that progress is all about women and young girls having the ability to choose who and what they want to be.
Excellent. She has such a good head on her shoulders. I hope the industry won’t change that.
She’s so intelligent and a breath of fresh air from the teens the media likes to focus on.
Love that she has such a good head on her shoulders, and it doesn’t hurt that she and Nas are cousins. It’s refreshing to see a teenager want more out of life than a ring rather than a career.
I didn’t know they were cousins. That’s dope.
I’m rooting for her.
She is so bright and has such a good head on her shoulders.
#CauseSheSlays
Yas