Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Montclair chapter.

Over the past few months, young Hollywood celebrities have been using their platforms and voices to stand with important issues that are facing our world today. One of those young talented voices is none other than Yara Shahidi. The young actress, who is known for her role as Zoey on the Emmy winning show “Black-ish” and its spinoff “Grown-ish,” has been a voice for many young adults all over the world. Let’s take a look at why this young powerhouse is taking the world by storm!

Yara Shahidi came into the spotlight at 9-years-old when she starred alongside Eddie Murphy in the movie “Imagine That.” Since then, everyone was able to watch this young adorable actress grow into a strong independent teenager who received her breakout role as Zoey Johnson on the hit ABC television show “Black-ish” when she was only 14. 

Today, Yara Shahidi is an outspoken 18-year-old who is a firm advocate for diversity and women’s rights. She is a strong believer in educating young females so they too can be advocates for change. With a partnership with The Young Women’s Leadership School, she was able to form Yara’s Club, which is an online mentorship program that lets young girls take an initiative to end poverty through education. Yara Shahidi has expressed her love of learning and is currently attending Harvard University (Michelle Obama wrote her a letter of recommendation, how awesome is that?). 

The young actress is currently working on her show Grown-ish (which is an absolute hit that everyone show watch) and continues showcasing her support for major political movements such as Black Lives Matter, Women’s Rights, Gun Control, Education, and much more. I’m pretty sure we will see a lot of Yara in the future, through her acting and divine activism. 

Yara Shahidi may be young, but she is paving the way for young girls and women everywhere!    

   

Photo Sources: 1, 2, 3

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar
Hello everyone! My name is BreYana Williams and I currently attend Montclair State University pursuing a to receive a degree in fashion studies with a minor in journalism. I have always had a love for fashion and pop culture ever since I was little and being able to write for HerCampus is literally a dream come true. I have always had a knack for expressing myself through my clothes and writing down my feelings and now I am able to share my own personal input on fashion related topics. I am really excited to share myself with each one of you.
Danielle has held various positions at Her Campus Montclair. Starting as a Contributing Writer during her sophomore year at MSU in 2015, she later became President & Editor-in-Chief during her senior year in 2017. She completed her B.A. in Communication & Media Arts with a minor in Leadership Development at Montclair State University in January 2018. Besides writing, she's a lover of cozy cafés, good lyrics, inspiring speeches, mountainous retreats, and sunsets on the skyline. She enjoys capturing the moment and has a passion for travel and discovery. You can often find her exploring NYC or venturing to one of her favorite East Coast spots.