Zendaya Coleman is out here schooling everyone again.
In a recent interview with Nylon she addresses cultural appropriation and her roots, proving once again that she stays woke.
Discussing cultural appropriation, she says:
You can go about it as cultural appreciation or cultural appropriation. You have to be very careful. Some things are really sacred and important to other cultures, so you have to be aware politically about those things before you just adopt them. In order to appreciate something, you have to know about it and understand.
You don't just wear something just to wear it—you have to understand the history behind it. I urge people to take the extra step of knowledge and learn about things. I'm someone who feels uncomfortable with things unless I know [about them]. I'm not going to try something unless I've taken the time and effort to learn about it. I just think with the internet and the resources we have, you should do a little research.
She also talks about her recent trip to Africa and becoming more aware of her roots:
I just went to Africa and I learned so much about things I had no idea about or wasn't aware of. And I think as an African American person, there's a disconnect that we're actually from Africa. We don't think about it as much as we should and we're not as connected to our roots. Partially, it's not our fault, but now that we have the resources and the ability to find out where we're from, we should…It's a process for everyone and now, with social media, I suggest that people try to become more aware and learn.
Zendaya, always dropping knowledge.
