Yara Shahidi is becoming one of the most sought after actresses/activists by the press. Everyone wants to know more about this budding legend. While in New York to accept her award from The Women in Entertainment Empowerment Network, W Magazine caught up with the sixteen-year-old star to find out even more about the young woman who is wise beyond her years.
Although she is still too young to vote, Shahidi has been extremely articulate during this political season, encouraging young people to get active in politics and have a voice. When not on screen, Shahidi spends her time discussing diversity, hosting support groups for young women, and speaking openly on social media regarding gender and equality issues. Being a part of a long-standing activist family, Shahidi herself has begun to formulate a post-election plan to help others in addressing the negative fallout from the campaign trail.
“Like Yara’s Club, I am hoping to organize a gathering to address the hate in schools and in spaces that used to be safe,” Shahidi tells W. “To see post-election the correlation between people feeling justified in their hate and anger and taking that our on people…it is really unfortunate because it is usually a reflection of what they see at home or in their own communities. I want people to grow up in a safe space. I don’t want them to live in the extra fear of ‘will my hijab be pulled off’ or ‘will people taunt me’ or ‘will people say I need to go back to where I came from.’”
