Zendaya Coleman, known simply as Zendaya, is easily one of the most positive influential 19-year-olds in the entertainment industry today. Growing up, I was first exposed to her talent on "Shake It Up!": the amazing Disney TV series where she shared her dancing skills. Her beauty, quirky personality, and her passion for equality make her one of my favorite celebrities.
Though she is a big celebrity, her actions and personality make her stand out from other famous people like her. Her eyebrows are always “on fleek,” and she does her own makeup for many red carpet events. (Which is kind of a big deal!) Aside from her makeup skills, her fashion sense is bold and her selfie game is one of the strongest I’ve ever encountered. Her Snapchat is filled with videos of her singing to songs on the radio and funny stories. As huge advocate for women's empowerment, body positivity, and racial equality, Zendaya was featured on Beyonce’s visual album, "Lemonade." She said in an interview that she freaked out when she met Bey for the first time, but who wouldn’t?!
However, this bright young star wasn’t always as confident as she is now; she admits to having had poor self-confidence and struggling with loving the body with which she was born. She understands what is like for young people (black girls in particular) growing up in today’s society and is hoping to increase the confidence in youth all around the world with her own self-love. When discussing this subject, she said, "I feel like it's really important for young people dealing with bullying to see a symbol of confidence," and she hopes to be that symbol. She exudes confidence as she struts her beautiful body, outfit, and hair at events and wants to extend her confidence on to other youth.
More than promoting confidence in youth and supporting human rights and equality, Zendaya pairs with many charities to help people and children in need. She participated in TOMS’ “One Day Without Shoes Day,” which helped provide shoes to people around the world without them.
Zendaya is going through all of the struggles that any young woman faces plus what comes with her celeb status and is still able to make a positive difference in the lives of others by standing by her motto: “Don’t forget to smile!”
