Welteroth: What have you learned from growing up on the Black-ish set?
Shahidi: It’s a funny place to grow up because they appreciate you being a kid, and then there are moments in which they want to know your opinion like a peer. I’ve always been asked how I felt, whether it be at the dinner table or at my place of work, but overarchingly, what Black-ish has shown is the power of aligning with projects you truly believe in. It’s set a precedence. It is a privilege to be able to say pretty much from the get-go that this is what I enjoy and for my opportunities to be so aligned.
Welteroth: Why do you think that has happened?
Shahidi: It comes from a place of intention. Even at seven, I named my corporation ‘Dharma Driven’.
Welteroth: What does that mean?
Shahidi: Dharma is a Hindi word; it means purpose, which is something that is revealed to you over time. I think that set the tone. I even remember at 14 being like, “Why am I here? I don’t get it.” I have this whole thing about legacy. A legacy only lasts 50 years, and when that generation ends, then what was my impact? I think I credit it to all the dystopian literature I was reading at the time. Brave New World and Fahrenheit 451 did not help! But I just try and find the commonalities of my interests. I wanted to be a historian and then I wanted to be a thought leader, and then I wanted to be policy adjacent [and help influence our political system], and amidst that, I wanted to be a professional jet-ski rider and also work for the FBI. I used to have the FBI most-wanted page pinned up, just in case I wanted to recognize people in the streets.
To read the interview in its entirety, click here. And don’t forget to tune in to Grown-ish on Freeform or catch up on the latest episodes here.
