The 17 year-old feminist, activist, and actress Amandla Stenberg, best known for her role as Rue in The Hunger Games, will cover February edition of Teen Vogue further giving her the chance to elaborate on the previous actions she’s taken in the initiative to fight for black women and black culture.
In her recent interview with Solange Knowles, she explains what impact her bold 2015 video “Don’t Cash Crop My Cornrows,”, in which she spoke out about cultural appropriation, not only has had on today’s society but also for her personally.
Known for strongly fighting against racial inequality and enforcing the importance of protecting minority races, she constantly stays on top of making social media a platform to inform and educate, and uses her online presence and celebrity to status as a way to help empower today’s youth.
When asked about how all of this felt for her she admitted that it was a bit overwhelming but also says,
“It’s worth it because when people come to me and say, ‘I’m more comfortable in my identity because of you,’ or ‘I feel like you’ve given me a voice,’ that’s the most powerful thing ever.”
She has been shaking the net since her Tumblr video was released last spring and continues to not be known only as an actress in the entertainment industry, but as a role model to many of todays youth, and an inspiration to young people of color growing up everywhere. Amandla continues to show that it is possible to become successful even in the face of adversity.
Having Amandla as the cover girl of Teen Vogue doesn’t just allow her voice to be heard beyond the realm of those familiar with her, but also allows those hearing her for the first time to broaden their understanding of being young and growing up as minority. With her ideas and continuously growing audience cheering her on, we know she still has so much ahead of her and we can’t wait to see what she does next.
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