Actress La La Anthony and her husband, NBA star Carmelo Anthony may be an estranged couple, but they put aside their differences when it comes to co-parenting their 13-year-old son Kiyan Anthony.
In a recent interview with Allison McGenva, the Deputy Editor of Essence, La La Anthony discussed how she balances co-parenting Kiyan with Carmelo along with her busy acting career. “It’s definitely not easy,” says La La. “Especially when you throw in a child. My son, Kiyan, is 13, and I want to be present for his life and all of his needs and his milestones.”
Parents discussing racism and police brutality with their kids is part of Black culture, and La La Anthony makes sure to discuss those subjects with Kiyan as much as she can. “I always talk to him about how he needs to deal with police,” said La La. “It’s sad that these are the conversations we have to have with our children, but this is the world we live in. I make sure he knows that and understands the seriousness of it. I’m not trying to scare him in any way, but I want him to live in reality.”
Since America is known to inflict racial trauma on Black children, La La Anthony focuses on keeping her son’s emotions stable. It’s also the reason why she co-parents Kiyan with his father Carmelo despite their estrangement.
“My son is at the center of everything,” says La La. “He is watching us, so if we’re out here being reckless or not leading with love, then what kind of example are we setting for him about how he should treat women or how people treat and love each other? A lot of times, people forget that, and I understand, because you get emotional when you’re going through different things in relationships,” she continued. “But I always want my son to be able to say, ‘No matter what, my parents loved each other. My parents loved me.’”
