Black Actresses Under 30 That We Need To Know
Growing up, I remember always gravitating toward the melanated ladies in movies, plays, and shows. In one of my favorite movies, Clueless, I didn't want to be Cher, I wanted to be Dion (it's hella weird to like your stepbrother anyway). I never cheered for the Toros, I liked the East Compton Clovers. I couldn't stand Angelica's bad ass, it was #teamSusie every time. And to this day, I've never seen an episode of Friends, but I can certainly quote all of Maxine Shaw, attorney-at-law.
I guess you could say in a society where we aren't always in the forefront, I understood at a very young age, that representation matters.
And because of this, I always welcomed a means for celebrating Black actresses, specifically rising Black actresses under 30. They're the ones to watch for, the ones who will impact the upcoming generations most. They're not as seasoned as the queens Taraji, Sanaa, Phylicia, or either of the Reginas, but they certainly have something to say.
So, from Netflix to theaters, here's a list of Black actresses under 30 that we need to know in 2020:
China Anne McClain
China Anne McClain is an ATLien born and raised and is best known for her roles as little Jazmine Payne in Tyler Perry's House of Payne and China James in Daddy's Little Girls. She also stars as Lightning in the CW's Black Lightning. China may only be 22, but she has been capturing the hearts of viewers for over 15 years as 1/3 of the Disney kid adorable sister trio, The McClain sisters, who are all top Black actresses under 30.
And make no mistake, China is all grown up and has now found her niche audience of loyal followers through TikTok.
On working with Tyler Perry:
"When I was working with Tyler Perry, and I've worked with him starting when I was around 7, watching him, I realized that I can be nice—because, like I said, I'm from the south and that's naturally what I want to be. I want everybody to be comfortable. But at the same time, do not change yourself for anybody. I really respect that about Mr. Perry and it's something that I know that he didn't know I picked up from watching him. But his demeanor in general is just, like, he is who he is. And at this point I've adopted that feeling. But at the same time, don't sacrifice my morals, my values, who I am. I don't have to change myself, you know?"
Her most recent venture is starring alongside Adam Sandler for the third time (Grown Ups, Grown Ups 2) in the family comedy, Hubie Halloween. But one of my favorite little-known facts about her career is she sings the theme song to the Disney show, Doc McStuffins.
Despite the 'rona, McClain is officially back to work and headed to our screens soon.
You can follow her on Instagram at @chinamcclain.
Kiersey Clemons
Another Black actress under 30 to know is Kiersey Clemons, who recently starred alongside Janelle Monae in Antebellum. She has cemented her place in indie storytelling where she identifies as a part of the LGBTQ community and routinely accepts roles outside of the status quo.
After getting her feet wet on Disney Channel series like Shake It Up and Austin and Ally, her breakout role came in the form as a starring role in 2015's Dope, whose cast also included A$AP Rocky and Zoë Kravitz. Dope also introduced Clemons into the DC Comics Universe. She won the role of Iris West—girlfriend of The Flash, the lightning-fast crime fighter played by Ezra Miller in Suicide Squad and Justice League.
Since, she started focusing on independent films, appearing in Flatliners, The Only Living Boy in New York, and, this year, Hearts Beat Loud and Sweetheart. Now, Clemons captures the essence of roles where she can tell untold stories; roles with social consciousness, however subtle.
Beyond film, she's also waded into social justice, helping lobby for the courts to reexamine evidence in the case of Marcellus Williams, a death-row inmate who has been incarcerated for nearly two decades despite new evidence that could exonerate him.
You can follow her on Instagram @kiersey, where she is happily, unapologetically, her damn self.
Marsai Martin
When it comes to Marsai Martin, what more needs to be said? Probably leading the pack of Black actresses under 30, our favorite shady little sister has managed to pivot her acting gig on Black-ish, into a full-on empire, complete with starring in, and executive producing, her own projects. And for those that aren't exactly sure what this means, sis cuts and signs the check that she deposits. Let that marinate.
Martin tells ET:
"I'm blessed to actually have the platform that I have. Being a Black girl, even in [a] white, male-dominated industry, you have to use your voice. You have to speak your mind for your audience."
And she's making no apologies about her journey, how she arrived, and being herself.
Since emerging on the scene in 2014 at the age of ten, the now 16-year-old actress has racked up a plethora of accolades and awards. Martin has multiple projects in the pipeline, including the animated film Paw Patrol: The Movie (2021) and her second feature film, StepMonster.
Follow her on Instagram at @marsaimartin.
Lovie Simone Oppong
Lovie Simone Opphong. Zora Greenlead. The 21-year-old Bronx powerhouse.
Simone currently plays Tabby in The Craft Legacy, a 2020 reboot of the cult classic thriller The Craft. Out this month, The Craft Legacy is just one of the many projects in which she stars. She's also in the Social Distancing TV series that captures all the highs and lows of quarantining. The series will be streaming on Netflix. Then, there's Starz's Power Book III: Raising Kanan in which Simone plays the love interest of the lead character. Sis, is working, and she is making no attempts to slow down, as her resume also consists of OWN's Greenleaf, and 2019 Sundance Film Festival premiere Selah and the Spades, where she stars as Selah.
Outside of acting, Simone spends much of her time sharing good reads and behind-the-scenes footage.
Follow her at @loviesimone_.
Odley Jean
Before she was a rising star on a newly exciting Netflix series, Grand Army, Odley Jean was just a regular Haitian-American girl in Brooklyn, working to make ends meet, and fighting to pursue her dreams. She landed a role as Dom, on the teen drama, a role she is a few years older than, but as it turns out, one she's got a lot in common with.
About the show, Jean tells Teen Vogue:
"'Degrassi' was in the school and the hallways, but also went into the teens' lives at home as well as a lot of social issues. But, I feel like 'Grand Army' lays it all out there and calls everything and everyone out. And it's up to us to dissect and have conversations. It's not spoon-fed to you."
As Refinery29 puts it, "Ten seconds. That's how long it takes to know that Odley Jean is going to be a star." Amen.
You can follow her on Instagram @odley.jean.
Raven Goodwin
Fans, such as myself, first got to know Raven Goodwin after appearing on the hit show Being Mary Jane. Soon after, she was featured in Disney's Good Luck Charlie, and now, she is showing a new side of her otherwise private world. After recently having a baby girl she is stepping back into the spotlight to encourage body positivity and loving yourself with, or without, the weight.
Most recently, Goodwin portrayed Denise Clark-Bradford in the 2020 Clark Sisters biopic, The Clark Sisters: The First Ladies of Gospel. And since, she has been taking over social media with her charm, advocacy, and fitness journey.
Right now, Raven is focusing on being a mommy but be on the lookout for her future impact.
Keep up with Raven on Instagram at @ravengoodwin
Yara Shahidi
"The vision is set. The slate is built. Grateful to my ABC family & excited to join the television landscape to collaborate and push forward the stories of our many intersections."
That's what Yara Shahidi wrote on Instagram to celebrate her new ABC deal for her production company, 7th Sun. 20-year-old Shahidi, an uber-vocal activist and champion for racial justice and equality, has plans to focus on stories from underrepresented communities and "projects that touch upon themes of history, heritage, culture, and joy," 7th Sun said in a statement.
And if we should be excited that any young, black woman is telling stories their way, it is Shahidi. Her start on Black-ish had such success, that it evolved into a successful spin-off, Grown-ish. Since then, she's found her voice as the unofficial spokesperson for Gen Z's woke culture and she has an impressive collection of mentors all around her: from Michelle Obama, Janelle Monae, and her dazzling mother, Keri Shahidi.
Oh, and she's a student at Harvard. I could go on all day about this queen, but you guys know. So, Yara Shahidi, ladies and gentlemen.
Follow her on Instagram at @yarashahidi.
Lexi Underwood
One random night I was scrolling through all the nothing that was on TV when I decided to binge-watch Little Fires Everywhere. And from the moment I turned it on, I could not stop watching. I stayed up and finished the entire season; it was that good of a show. I loved the themes and the changes in character dynamics. And I loved Lexi Underwood.
Her character, the daughter of Kerry Washington's character Mia Warren, was so pure and genuine in how she approached her role. As a young 17-year-old, I was blown away by her promise. On working on the show, Underwood tells Vogue:
"Every day was a masterclass. They made sure everybody else in the scene looked good. One time, Miss Kerry and I were in a scene and it was her coverage but I was giving a strong performance, so she had them stop and turn the cameras around. They taught me how to unapologetically take up space as a young Black actress; to speak up if I had an idea or if something didn't seem authentic to my character. We had a voice in the creative process. We never felt like we were kids."
Up next, Underwood will be starring as a Disney princess alongside John Sally for Sneakerella (which we're so excited to see) and has even started a production company.
Keep up with her on Insta at @officiallexiunderwood.
Lyric Ross
Seventeen-year-old Lyric Ross plays Deja on NBC's hit show, This Is Us, a role she was, of course, excited to get.
And working in most of your scenes with Sterling K. Brown, who let her hold his Emmy award as a bomb affirmation, is something to brag about. She's young but she packs a punch, and she's next up to bat, as she's already been nominated for the prestigious NAACP award to go along with that Emmy. Expect this Black actress under 30 to be around for a long time.
Catch up with her on Instagram at @lyricnicoleross!
Dominique Fishback
Dominique Fishback isn't normal. No, I mean it, she is one of the most enjoyable Black actresses under 30 to watch. The 29-year-old stars alongside Jamie Foxx in Netflix's Project Power had gained the respect and attention of others for her role on HBO's The Deuce. You may have also seen her in 2018's The Hate U Give. Still, the Brooklyn-raised phenom is continuously outperforming her own ranks and making her mark as one of the young Hollywood starlets.
In her upcoming role in the Fred Hampton film Judas and the Black Messiah, she will co-star with Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield. She tells Entertainment Weekly:
"I have a lot to say — I'm a writer as well, so I'm ready for people to take me seriously. My essence, my purpose, they're all aligning. From your lips to God's ears."
I stan.
Keep up with Dominique's journey on Instagram @domfishback.
Feature image by Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com
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Charmin Michelle is a southern native and creative spirit who works as a content marketer and events manager in Chicago. She enjoys traveling, #SummertimeChi, and the journey of mastering womanhood. Connect with her on Instagram @charminmichelle.
How This New Bond Repair Line Transformed One Mother's Postpartum Shedding Into The Ultimate Curl Comeback
This article is in partnership with SheaMoisture
For Crystal Obasanya, her wash day woes came shortly after her son did. The beauty and lifestyle content creator had been natural for years, but during postpartum, she quickly learned about one reality many mothers can relate to experiencing: postpartum hair loss. “Sis had thinning hair. Sis had split ends,” she shared about her hair changes in a Reel via xoNecole.
Over a year into her postpartum journey, Crystal explained she also had dry, brittle hair, noting that keeping it hydrated before pregnancy had already been “a task.” The 4C natural recalled going from thick hair during pregnancy to a thin hairline due to postpartum shedding as “devastating.” When it came to strengthening and revitalizing her hair, the new SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection was just the thing she needed to elevate her damaged coils to revive and thrive status and get them poppin' again.
SheaMoisture is providing us with the cheat code for transforming dry and damaged strands into thriving and deeply nourished crowns. By unveiling their 4-step hair system, the SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection is equipping you with the tools to reverse signs of hair damage caused by protective styling, heat, and color and is uniquely formulated for Type 3 and 4 hair textures.
The haircare system revives damaged natural hair by repairing and rebuilding broken hair bonds through a game-changing combination of HydroPlex Technology and AminoBlend Complex, a unique blend of fortifying amino acids formulated specifically for curly and coily hair. Scientifically proven to reduce breakage by 84% and make your hair six times stronger (vs. non-conditioning shampoo), the collection infuses your hair with the nourishment it craves and the strength it deserves.
All five products of the SheaMoisture Bond Collection are infused with natural strengthening ingredients like Amla Oil and fair-trade shea butter. The collection consists of the 4-step breakage-fighting Bond Repair system, as well as the Bonding Oil.
“When trying it out, I quickly noticed that my hair felt revived and renewed, and my curls were so hydrated,” Crystal said while using the Amla-infused Bond Repair Leave-In Conditioner. “I also felt my hair strands were stronger.” So much so that the influencer felt brave enough to get her hair braided shortly thereafter. “I can definitely say that I will be keeping it in my hair wash routine,” she added in the caption of her Reel about her positive experience using the products.
SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection is making bond-building a key player in your wash day routines and the purveyor of life for thirsty manes. Because who doesn't want stronger, shinier, happier hair?
Step One: Bond Repair Collection Shampoo
Rejuvenate your hair with SheaMoisture Bond Repair Shampoo, your go-to solution for luscious locks. Packed with hella hydration power, this shampoo adds moisture by 60% while removing buildup without stripping your strands. This shampoo gently cleanses impurities while significantly enhancing shine, smoothness, and softness.
The Bond Repair Collection Shampoo is the first step in the 4-step Bond Repair system, all of which are powered by the uniquely formulated AminoBlend, and HydroPlex, SheaMoisture’s technology that rebuilds hair strength at its core.
Step Two: Bond Repair Collection Conditioner
Tailored to repair styling damage, this creamy conditioner locks in 12x more moisture than standard non-conditioning shampoos, boosting damaged hair strength by 1.5x with significantly less breakage. The creamy SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection Conditioner deeply hydrates, enhances manageability, and leaves your hair looking healthier and shinier.
Step Three: Bond Repair Collection Masque
This Ultra Moisturizing reparative masque is a moisture-rich game-changer for those dealing with the aftermath of hair damage caused by styling. The SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection Masque delivers 13 times more moisture compared to non-conditioning shampoos, ensuring your hair feels nourished and soft. Designed to repair and rejuvenate, this masque significantly strengthens damaged hair — making it twice as strong while reducing breakage.
Step Four: Bond Repair Collection Leave-In Conditioner
Elevate your curl game with SheaMoisture’s Bond Repair Collection Leave-In Conditioner. Lightweight and hydrating, the Bond Repair Leave-In Conditioner provides 12x more moisture than non-conditioning shampoos and tames frizz with 24-hour humidity control. Designed to define curls and coils, the leave-in conditioner enhances softness and shine allowing you to detangle effortlessly.
Bonding Oil
The SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection Bonding Oil is a multitasking all-in-one formula that acts as a heat protectant and provides the hair with moisture, strength, shine, damage protection, and intense nourishment. This lightweight oil not only offers 24-hour frizz and humidity control but also fortifies your tresses, making them up to 5 times stronger with significantly less breakage.
Featured image courtesy
Got Some Watery Discharge Going On? This Could Be What's Up.
A few weeks ago, while I was talking to a friend who is post-menopause about how I really think that there needs to be far more information out there about perimenopause, she sighed, laughed, and then asked, “Have you started to feel like you’re peeing on yourself yet?”
Umm…NO. Girl, what?
She then went on to talk about how,for about a year straight, she would randomly have streams of what felt like urine running out of her and, when she finally went to the doctor about it, they said that it had to do with her hormones fluctuating all over the place because she was on the tail end of perimenopause andher vagina was in a bit of atrophy. Listen, if I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a billion times: it seems like the only time when our world, as women, isn’t revolving around a menstrual cycle, is before they ever begin. Otherwise…GOODNESS.
Anyway, after speaking to some other post-menopausal women about this very topic and then thinking about some of the times when I’ve had random bouts of watery discharge, even back in my early 30s, I decided that now is as good a time as any to tackle this topic — in case it’s something that some of you have or are currently going through…and you’re not quite sure what to make it of it.
What Is Healthy Discharge?
GiphyOkay, so let’s start with a brief rundown on why we have vaginal discharge at all and what the indications are that it’s healthy. Long story short, vaginal discharge is a fluid that comes out of your vagina that helps to both clean and lubricate your vagina (which is why douching is totally unnecessary). Depending on the time of the month that your cycle is in, your discharge can change, although the average amount of healthy discharge tends to be somewhere between 1-4 milliliters (which equals out to ½ teaspoon) daily. Texture-wise, it may be watery or a bit thicker. Color-wise, it may be clear to off-white.
As far as what a healthy vagina smells like — that can vary. When it’s highly acidic, it might smell fermented. When you’re on your cycle, it may smell like copper (due to the blood). If it smells kind of like molasses, there could be an overgrowth of bacteria going on (although that’s not usually anything to be too concerned about).
Really, healthy discharge can be its own article; however, this is a pretty good overall description if you’re looking for something to compare your own vaginal discharge to.
What Is Unhealthy Discharge?
GiphyNow that you know about healthy vaginal discharge, what are some signs that yours may not be as healthy as it should be? Pretty much, it’s the opposite of everything that I just said. I will say that there is an exception when it comes to the color because if you see red, pink, or even brown and it’s around your cycle, your period usually has something to do with it (if it’s not around your period, you should alert your doctor because there may be an underlying health issue going on).
Outside of that, though, a yellow or greenish color typically means that you have either a bacterial infection or an STI/STD and grayish hues usually point to some type of bacterial vaginosis (BV). Odor-wise, your vagina should never smell fishy (that’s also an indication of some type of infection). If it smells like ammonia sometimes, that could be because your urine is too strong (drinking more water can help that out); if it smells like an onion, it could be due to emotional stress and if it smells like death (literally), that could be because you left a tampon in too long or some remnants of the tampon is still stuck in your vagina.
It’s also wise to remember that healthy discharge isn’t really irritating, so if yours is itchy, burning, or super thick, also see your physician as soon as you can.
What Does Watery Discharge Mean?
GiphyAlright, now that you know (or have recapped) what healthy and unhealthy vaginal discharge is like, let’s get into today’s main topic: watery discharge. Although I already touched on the role that perimenopause and menopause can play, there are other things that can lead to this type of discharge too:
Ovulation: Honestly, a lot of this is more about yourcervical fluid/cervical mucus that becomes thinner and more slippery when you’re ovulating, so that it’s easier for sperm to get to your eggs. What causes this to happen is a spike in your estrogen levels. It’s nothing to be alarmed about.
Pregnancy: Another time in your life when your estrogen levels may remain pretty high iswhen you’re pregnant — and yes, that can cause some watery discharge too; the kind that may increase as your pregnancy progresses. So long as the discharge isn’t accompanied by any of the unhealthy signs that I mentioned earlier, you should be fine when it comes to watery discharge here as well.
Sexual Arousal: Something else that can cause more discharge that seems watery is when you’re sexually aroused. Whenever that happens, more blood flows to your vaginal region and that can cause natural lubrication to transpire. This, right here, is always a good thing. Oh, and for those of you who wonder if squirting would fall under this category, check out, “Is Squirting Really Worth The Hype?” Come to think of it, one more “oh” — if you find yourself “getting wet” without direct sexual stimulation (or maybe even wanting to), the term for that is arousal non-concordance. It’s basically what happens when your body lubricates during times when your mind may not be thinking about it or would like it to happen.
Vaginal Sweat: Something else that can lead to watery discharge: something known as vaginal sweat.For the record, although your vagina itself doesn’t contain any sweat glands, when your vulva (the outer part of your vagina) and/or thighs produce an excessive amount of sweat due to things like exercise; heat; panties that don’t “breathe” (check out “These Are The Kinds Of Panties Your Vagina Actually Prefers”); pubic hair; being overweight, and pads and pantyliners, that’s what it tends to be called. Also, nothing to fret about (although you should go with wearing cotton panties if that’s not what you’re usually wearing so that your vulva can cool off more easily).
5 Ways to Keep Your Discharge Just How It Should Be
GiphyNow that you know a little bit more about watery discharge, you might also be curious about what you can do to keep yours at a healthy amount. Here are five quick tips.
1. Get your hormone levels checked. Since a lot about what goes on with discharge is about what your hormones are (or aren’t) doing, if lately, you’ve been noticing more vaginal discharge than usual, ask your doctor to check your hormone levels. If they’re imbalanced, there are a myriad of options that can help to get them back on track.
2. Wash your vagina properly. The reason why I’ve written articles like “Are You Washing Your Vagina Correctly? You Sure?,” “Have You Ever 'Spring Cleaned' Your Vagina Before?” and even “Love On Yourself With These 7 All-Natural DIY Vaginal Washes” is because, when it comes to how to correctly cleanse their vagina (which is really more like your vulva because your vagina doesn’t need any help in the cleaning department), many people know very little about it. For starters, if you’re using heavy perfumes or vaginal washes that contain a lot of chemicals, it could end up irritating your va-jay-jay and that can result in an increase of discharge. When it comes to vaginal cleansing, product-wise, less is always gonna be more.
3. Change out of wet clothes quickly. If you want to decrease vaginal sweating, get out of sweaty clothes as soon as you can. Not only can this prevent more wetness from occurring, but you will also decrease the chances of creating a breeding ground for yeast infections to occur (because dark, warm, and wet places are where yeast will thrive).
4. Make sure it’s not incontinence.Sometimes, what people think is excessive discharge can actually be incontinence that’s caused by an infection (like a urinary tract infection), a weak pelvic floor, constipation,an overactive bladder, or even stress. The cheat sheet on this one is no, your discharge should not constantly smell like urine. If it does, lean into you having an incontinence issue — and share it with your doctor.
5. USE. CONDOMS. Every time that I read thatonly one-third of men and one-fourth of women use condoms, I get triggered. Oftentimes, when your discharge is working overtime, it’s to try and get something out that shouldn’t be in there (like bacteria). Using condoms during sex helps to make things easier on your vagina — so unless you’re in a long-term exclusive relationship, condoms always need to be in use.
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Watery discharge? It’s pretty much a fact of life that will creep up at one time or another. Now that you know what can be the causes of it, hopefully, you know what to do about it…whatever the cause of it may be.
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