In 2015, we live in a society that is blossoming in the vocalization of social opinion. Many young Americans have reached a new mindset that questions the cultural and social norms we have grown up with. Millennials have been exposed to new viewpoints on issues that have plagued society for years–issues that many of our predecessors have been narrow-minded or uneducated about for generations.
We are beginning to thrive in a time where the voices standing against social inequality finally have the right advocates to promote these complex issues in a new light. For so long, America was too conservative to speak out on issues about sexuality, gender, racism, and sexism, but in more recent years we have seen an immense push on the boundaries that used to be too restrained to challenge.
With that being said, now is the perfect time for Amandla Stenberg’s young, yet wise voice to be heard. Amandla, most popularly known for her role as Rue in The Hunger Games, has been creating quite an impression in the media on issues as dynamic as cultural appropriation while applying to college. At just 17, Amandla has educated many young people on just what cultural appropriation means (the concept of other cultures essentially ‘stealing’ attributes from another culture and making it their own while still shaming that culture).
This isn’t an exchange of different elements of culture, which is definitely okay, but instead it is defined by the fact one group has more power to be able to decide what aspects of the oppressed culture they like and want to obtain. One example of cultural appropriation is white Americans putting cornrows in their hair.
Last spring, Amandla’s school project Don’t Cash Crop My Cornrows blew up on Tumblr and caused many impressionable young people to really think about the cultural crazes they’re buying into. She makes the point that many big celebrities like Kylie Jenner, Iggy Azalea and Miley Cyrus are profiting off of black features by “celebrating hip hop culture.” What Amandla is trying to help others understand is that the use of black culture to promote your career without bringing light to black issues is disrespectful and blatantly ignorant.
Amandla is not afraid to call people out on this. Kylie Jenner–a notorious culprit of cultural appropriation–posted an Instagram of herself in cornrows and Amandla was quick to comment “when u appropriate black features and culture but fail to use ur position of power to help black Americans by directing attention towards ur wigs instead of police brutality or racism.” Jenner replied with, “go hang w Jaden” in reference to Amandla going to prom with Kylie’s ex-boyfriend.
We need Amandla to help educate, enlighten, and inspire this generation. She is bold and insightful, where other young ‘role models’ fall short. She would not turn a social issue into a personal attack on something totally unrelated. We live in an Instagram-filtered world and Amandla is not scared to expose what lies under this coating of unawareness. She is wise beyond her years and it can be certain she will be leaving her mark on the years to come.