Yara Shahidi’s 9 Best Black Girl Magic Moments
Yara Shahidi is young, black, beautiful and #blackgirlmagic personified.
The internet defines #blackgirlmagic as “a term to illustrate the universal awesomeness of black women. It’s about celebrating anything we deem particularly dope, inspiring, or mind-blowing about ourselves.” And, we have to admit that Yara is a pretty inspirational force.
She began her career at the tender age of six weeks old in a print advertisement for life insurance and has worked her way up through Hollywood, landing roles in Wizards of Waverly Place and The First Family. Now, she catches our attention weekly as the fiery Zoey Johnson in ABC’s Black-ish. She's also extremely active on social media, and speaks out about a number of important topics, including voting and racism. But don’t just take our word for it! Click on to find out why we think she’s #blackgirlmagic personified.
Photo: Courtesy of American Eagle1/10She models like a champ for national fashion campaigns.
She seriously kills it as a model for American Eagle’s Holiday 2016 “We All Can” Campaign which is linked with Feed America to give food to people in need. Casually dressed in a sweater and jacket, the 16-year-old holds her own next to other starlets such as Chloe and Halle and Rowan Blanchard. And, if her stylish look isn’t enough to turn heads, those full, natural curls of hers featured so prominently in the ad is beautiful #blackgirlmagic at its best.
Photo: Getty Images2/10She isn’t afraid to use her own social media channels to speak up about racism.
Just because someone is a celebrity doesn’t mean they will necessarily speak up about current events that pertain to specifically to their race. But, Yara, whose mother is black and father is Iranian, who has no problem using her social platform at any given moment in time to speak up.
On Halloween, she came across this photo of a man in blackface and quickly took to Twitter to let everyone know exactly why it isn’t (nor will it ever be) a cool thing for people to do. “The dehumanization of black men & women is ongoing & costumes like this trivialize/belittle our existence & movements like #Blacklivesmatter,” she tweeted. BOOM.
Photo: Getty Images3/10She always gives us serious beauty inspiration any time she hits the red carpet.
We love how she paired this pink eye shadow with turquoise eyeliner for a fun, flirty look that you can literally wear anywhere. Also, her two braids might look simple, but they pair perfectly with her fun, youthful look. She’s definitely got the #blackgirlmagic glow!
Photo: Getty Images4/10Yara is the perfect combination of beauty and brains.
When First Lady Michelle Obama spoke about the importance of education for young girls in the U.S., Yara was right there alongside her to tell how education as helped to shape her life. We all know how passionate Michelle (whom we also consider to be walking, talking #BlackGirlMagic) feels about education. “I know that when you hear the phrase ‘knowledge is power,’ it’s true,” Michelle said.
Yara, who has announced plans for a gap year before starting college, credits education to her success as an actress.
Photo: Getty Images5/10She's interviewed other prominent black women in the world about major topics such as police brutality and the ongoing LGBTQ struggle for equality.
Yara once interviewed United States Attorney General Loretta Lynch for the September 2016 issue of Teen Vogue like #nobigdeal.
“She cares about the things that matter to my generation,” she said about the Attorney General. Their conversation about major current events is a great testament to the beauty of #BlackGirlMagic and how it can literally span generations.
Photo: Getty Images6/10Diversity in media is a hot topic that Yara isn’t afraid to speak up about.
Her acceptance speeches are on point. Yara has no problem speaking up about how important it is for the media to show what diversity really looks like. “As you are watching Black-ish, you are witnessing the constant conversation and work we put into the blossoming and development of my character Zoey. She is my activism through art,” Yara said after accepting the Daily Point Of Light Award. “She is an angsty, rebellious teen, entrepreneurial at heart, academically astute, and the thread that ties her family together. It is through my character and characters like her that the barriers that racism, ageism, sexism, and other –isms can be broken down.”
Photo: Getty Images7/10Her natural curls are always poppin’.
She wears her natural hair in the cutest styles — including that time she sprinkled purple glitter all over an up-do to honor the late Prince. “I’m a curly girl at heart,” she once told us. “It was a lot of fun to not only show the versatility of curly hair, but to be really outgoing with it.”
Photo: Getty Images8/10Yara takes time out of her busy schedule to help others in need.
Although she has a pretty robust schedule thanks to school and her television work, she still finds time to give back. Yara has traveled to Jamaica to work with Integrative Clinics International, an organization dedicated to improving the healthcare services in underserved communities. “We went to different areas of Jamaica, so we were in places like Nine Mile and Negril to give healthcare to people who didn’t have access to it,” she said. “I was doing triage, helping fill prescriptions, and giving some of the needed care.”
Photo: Getty Images9/10Her acting roster includes portraying a young Olivia Pope.
Before landing her role on Black-ish, Yara once played a played a younger Olivia Pope on the hit TV show Scandal.
“Everyone on set was so nice and I got to work with some amazing actors and actresses, which was fabulous,” she said about the experience. “And at the end of the day, Kerry Washington walked into my school, while I was in school even though she wasn’t shooting near it, and came to just say hi. She’s honestly the nicest person ever.”
Playing a baby Olivia Pope basically just cements her status in #blackgirlmagic land especially considering that Kerry Washington (who plays Olivia) is a permanent resident there.
