Malia Baker, Momona Tamada, and Lexi Underwood Named Seventeen’s 2020 Voices of the Year
Malia Baker, Momona Tamada, and Lexi Underwood have been named one of Seventeen’s 2020 Voices of the Year recipients. The ladies are among a group of 15 who were handpicked by the magazine for how they used their voices in 2020.
Malia on her goal for her activism: “A major goal of mine when it comes to activism is to inspire others to use their voices and create change. I could say, “I want to solve inequality,” but I think that’s a little broad and quite a big goal. For now, my goal is to make others want to get up every morning and have the motivation to use their voice for someone else. I look at my inspirations like Greta Thunberg or Malala Yousafzai and how motivational they are to me. So if I can make someone feel the same way about me, that’s pretty awesome.”
Momona on using her voice: “I think it’s important for me to speak up about these things because, first of all, I know what it feels like to not see a role model for myself on screen, or not see someone that looks like myself on screen. It’s hard to feel like you’re alone and I don’t want anyone out there to feel like that. It’s also important for me to speak up about mental health because, again, this is something I can connect to. I developed minor anxiety from just working too hard without taking a break. It helped me to learn that although it is important to work hard, it’s equally as important to take time for yourself and put yourself first. Even though I only experienced mild forms of anxiety, I can’t imagine what others are going through at this time. This is something I want to bring into the conversation to help alleviate the stigma of talking about challenges with mental health.”
Lexi on what Sneakerella will mean to young boys and girls: “I hope that young girls and boys will be inspired and feel empowered by the story we’re telling. This entire project has reimagined our traditional definition of the Disney prince and princess. As storytellers and creatives, we get to stretch the restrictive boundaries we’ve placed on what our heroes look like.
Representation is important. Kira is a Black princess who rocks her natural hair, wears [Air] Jordans, and likes baggy clothes. Kira is relatable, she’s grounded, and she stands on her principles. Also, Kira isn’t the girl waiting to be recused by a boy. She holds the proverbial glass slipper or in this case, glass tennis shoe. Hopefully a generation of girls and boys will look at Kira and see themselves. They will feel like royalty in their own skin. If just one little girl is able to look at herself in the mirror with her natural hair and tennis shoes and know that she is a princess, then I did my job.”
You can see the full list and see what else the ladies had to say here. What do you guys think of this year’s list?