I think, for me, it’s all about the experience of a shopper. We can wear guys’ clothes, but the second a guy wears girls’ clothes, it’s like. Nine times out of 10 I was shopping in the boys section. ZENDAYA: That’s the future of fashion, right? I was lucky to have parents who let me wear what I wanted to wear and let me shop where I wanted to shop. I’ve talked about this before, but can I honestly say I would be in the position I’m in if I weren’t a lighter-skinned black woman? No. And you know, there is so much work left to be done. A lot of people who aren’t people of color can’t quite understand what it’s like to grow up and not see yourself in mainstream media. I was like, “If I’m going to do this, this is how it has to be.” There needs to be a black family on the Disney Channel. ZENDAYA: I didn’t feel like there was any other choice. I’m now in a place where I’m talking to creatives and saying, “Hey, this is what needs to happen with this show, with this character.” Not for my own ego, but because there’s a lot of people watching, and we have an opportunity. Undercover, the fact that you came from a position of power, was huge for me. Even without a political message, seeing ourselves onscreen is so important. YARA: It’s really powerful to see a woman of color. YARA: She’s the forty-sixth president that I recognize. I’m going to put strong, powerful women of color in lead roles and create narratives for different types of people.” And she owns a day. ZENDAYA: I mean, Shonda-she saw something nobody else was doing and said, “I’m going to create it myself. YARA: You’ve described yourself as the love child of Oprah, Shonda Rhimes, and Beyoncé. But then also there’s this level of realness to her. She wants to produce a movie? She can do it. If she wants to create a network, she can do it. She’s someone who, even with everything stacked against her, has soared to unbelievable heights. I’m obviously inspired by my mother, and I have an obsession with Oprah. I am inspired right now by people who use their platforms: If people know your name, they should know it for a reason. YARA: Her saying that was my favorite thing. You and I have had the chance to meet some cool people. It’s also forced us to segue into something a little more hopeful. It no longer feels like an option whether or not to be active. Zendaya is one of the youngest Disney Channel producers ever. When executives originally suggested the show be called Super Awesome Katy, she told them the title was “wack.” She asked, “Do I look like a Katy to you?” (They made her character’s name K.C. Zendaya has always been clear about the importance of speaking one’s mind. Undercover, about a black family of spies. And she was already a bona fide superstar, having appeared in nearly a dozen films and shorts, released an album of hits, and ridden the success of the Disney Channel sitcom Shake It Up into producing and starring in K.C. Zendaya was just 18 at the time, the same age I will turn in a few months. Though my show Black-ish had only aired for one season-we didn’t even know if we’d be renewed-I will never forget when she bounded up to me and said, excitedly, “Man, I really appreciate the work that you’re doing.” One of the first times I met Zendaya was at the 2015 Radio Disney Music Awards, which she was hosting.
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