{"id":253,"date":"2020-09-02T17:52:31","date_gmt":"2020-09-02T07:52:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/?post_type=articles&p=176942"},"modified":"2020-10-14T14:23:59","modified_gmt":"2020-10-14T14:23:59","slug":"zendaya-essay-on-dealing-with-racism","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/zendaya-essay-on-dealing-with-racism\/","title":{"rendered":"On Zendaya\u2019s 24th Birthday, We\u2019re Revisiting An Essay She Wrote For Us As A Teen – And Wow"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Zendaya
Credit: Instagram<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Zendaya was just 19 years old when we first met for an interview. It was 2016 and she had just filmed scenes for Beyonc\u00e9\u2019s Lemonade<\/em> visual album and had also been the butt of some pretty poor jokes \u2013 one from comedian Julie Klausner and another from E News<\/em> anchor Giuliana Rancic. (I\u2019m not going to give the comments air time here, jump on Google if you want to know what was actually said.)<\/p>\n

The last time I saw Zendaya was in Harlem in New York in September. She was the co-designer on the Tommy Hilfiger collection and I specifically remember her stomping around the runway prior to the show making sure grown men three times her age were in their places and things were running smoothly. Make no mistake, Zendaya was calling the shots that show.<\/p>\n

READ: NYFW: A HOMECOMING IN HARLEM. TOMMY HILFIGER AND ZENDAYA HOST A 70S RUNWAY PARTY UPTOWN<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Today, she celebrates her 24th<\/sup> birthday \u2013 and Timothee Chalamet had all the right words. \u201cHappy birthday to one of the most inspiring people I’ve met on my short journey,\u201d the Oscar-nominated star tweeted<\/a>. \u201cSomeone with the strongest ethical character, and a moral compass that is in harmony with a totally fearless creative abandon. Happy birthday Zendaya, hope your day is beautiful, friend..\u201d<\/p>\n

Is it not the highest honor to be described as someone with a strong ethical character and moral compass that is aligned with being fearless? Well, it\u2019s not a description that Zendaya has grown into \u2013 its someone she has always been, as proven by this beautiful essay she wrote for GRAZIA when she was 19. And on her 24th<\/sup>, it feels more relevant than ever.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Happy birthday, beautiful girl.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think, as a society, we\u2019re making ground when it comes to engaging with women of color?<\/em><\/p>\n

The fact we\u2019re talking about this means we\u2019ve made progress.\u00a0There were times when people didn\u2019t even ask the question or didn\u2019t even care to ask it and now things are different.<\/em><\/p>\n

Even though criticism and insults to black women are still happening \u2013 and they are definitely still happening \u2013 at least we\u2019re having this conversation right now, we\u2019re talking about it and we are getting the ball rolling.<\/em><\/p>\n

You can\u2019t tell anybody how they\u2019re going to react or behave when hit with a racist insult but, all that aside, I\u2019ve learned that you have to learn to love and respect yourself first and foremost. Why? Because, if you\u2019re confident within, that\u2019s the only way attacks won\u2019t be able to personally effect you.<\/em><\/p>\n

In my opinion, it does come down to situations where people are saying ignorant things \u2013 or you can tell people aren\u2019t educated about some things \u2013 and you do have that education and therefore that ability, in a sense, to help them.<\/em><\/p>\n

Yes, you could easily be ignorant yourself and say a rude comment and then create a back-and-forth negative experience. Or, you could teach that person about what they\u2019re saying and doing and hopefully allow them to learn from the experience and actually make a change. Being aggressive and saying the first thing that comes to mind \u2013 I know that feeling, I know what it\u2019s like to say hurtful things and then just go off. But it\u2019s always more powerful when you think about it and use the brain you have.<\/em><\/p>\n

Because, at the end of the day, we are all in this together. Humanity, that is. There\u2019s only one earth we can live on and we can\u2019t just get up and leave whenever we want to. We\u2019re all stuck here together and we\u2019ve got to appreciate each other and love each other.<\/em><\/p>\n

For me, with certain situations in the past and whether it\u2019s to do with racial insensitivity or body bashing, I look at it as others needing me as their voice. In reference to Julie Klausner\u2019s comments, fortunately I\u2019ve never had a problem with my body or the way I look, that\u2019s just not something I\u2019ve had to deal with. But I know too many people who have. I have way too many family members and friends who have to deal with not being happy in their own skin literally on a daily basis. That\u2019s a serious issue and it\u2019s not something you joke about. It\u2019s not light, it\u2019s not funny, it\u2019s not comedy. It\u2019s real.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

And just because it doesn\u2019t effect me, doesn\u2019t mean I\u2019m allowed to let someone say those things, you see what I\u2019m saying? There\u2019s too many people that need me to address those things and too many people who haven\u2019t found their voice yet. So here\u2019s mine: Sometimes silence is the best option. Sometimes it\u2019s not. And that\u2019s ok.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Zendaya<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":254,"template":"","format":"standard","categories":[23,16],"yoast_head":"\nZendaya Pens An Essay On How To Deal With Racism<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In an essay penned for GRAZIA in when she was just 19 years old, Zendaya's words are more relevant than ever. 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