Zendaya is using her status to speak up!
The K.C. Undercover star sat down with friend and fellow female force Yara Shahidi for Glamour magazine's powerful new issue.
During the interview, the TV and film star talked about female empowerment, using her social media as a platform to bring about change and her Disney Channel show, which is gearing up for a fourth season.
When Yara asked the Spider-Man: Homecoming star about taking control as a producer of the hit teen show, Zendaya made it clear that not taking control of the show's narrative was not an option.
The 21-year-old said, "I didn’t feel like there was any other choice. I was like, 'If I’m going to do this, this is how it has to be.' There needs to be a black family on the Disney Channel."
She continued, "A lot of people who aren’t people of color can’t quite understand what it’s like to grow up and not see yourself in mainstream media. And you know, there is so much work left to be done."
One of the ways she's doing that work is by using her voice to spread a message on social media.
She said, "I can genuinely say that I’m not the same person I was a year ago. As my social platforms grew, I realized that my voice was so much more important than I had originally thought. I think if every young person understood the power of their voice, things would be a lot different. And it’s becoming more popular to be outspoken."
The stylish star also thinks other celebs should use their online presence to do some good. "I am inspired right now by people who use their platforms: If people know your name, they should know it for a reason."
The Black-ish star also asked her pal about whether or not she thinks her lighter skin tone has had an affect on her career.
Zendaya said, "Can I honestly say I would be in the position I’m in if I weren’t a lighter-skinned black woman? No."
Check out the latest issue of Glamour mag for the full interview...