Oprah's Super Soul Super Soul Special: Yara Shahidi: Next-Generation Actress and Activist
Dec 24, 2025
Yara Shahidi, the talented actress and activist known for her roles in 'Black-ish' and 'Grown-ish,' joins Oprah for an insightful conversation. Yara shares her views on Gen Z's political engagement driven by social media, reflecting on her family's rich history in the civil rights movement. She discusses her 18 by 18 initiative to boost youth voter turnout and the influence of 'Black-ish' in sparking significant discussions. Balancing her career with upcoming Harvard studies, Yara emphasizes art's role in activism while staying true to her multicultural identity.
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Access Accelerates Gen Z Awareness
- Yara credits access (social media, digital media) for Gen Z's accelerated political awareness.
- She says early exposure to role models lets young people absorb wisdom regardless of location.
Crisis Spurs Youth Engagement
- Yara says political turmoil lights a fire under young people to act sooner.
- She links historical movements to today's urgency and the viability of youth-led engagement.
Family Roots In Civil Rights
- Yara shares her family's civil rights involvement, including a grandfather who was a Black Panther and educator.
- She says that family history fueled her fascination with the 1960s movements and present-day parallels.