Yara Shahidi on Learning, Growth and Pursuing Passions Beyond the Classroom

Los Angeles Times

2 days ago

Actor, producer, optimist and agent for change Yara Shahidi, host of 'The Optimist Project' on Sirius XM, shares insights from her Harvard journey, offering advice on navigating education, discovering passions and continuing personal growth.
You've been a strong advocate for education while also pursuing your degree at Harvard. What motivated you to prioritize higher education despite having so many career opportunities?
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Education has always been an integral part of my life – it was never really a question of if, but when and how. My parents instilled this idea that learning is a lifelong adventure, whether that's in a classroom or out in the world. For college specifically, I saw it as an opportunity to explore my curiosities, grow a community, and continue to pour into my growth academically and mentally. In a world in which so much is demanded of us on a daily basis, college felt like one of the few spaces in life in which my primary job was to think and explore. From my Gen Eds about the evolution of morality and pharmaceutical pricing, to my courses on neo-colonialism and resistance movements, Harvard gave me the space to think critically, to interrogate my own beliefs and grow.
Many students feel pressure to choose the 'right' college or career path. What advice would you give to those struggling with that decision?
I understand that pressure. So many of us come from communities and families that have dealt with so many barriers to entry to higher education, and it feels as though we are receiving this education and degree for more than ourselves, but for everyone who has invested in us.
My favorite piece of advice from when I was trying to figure out my own path is when my mama told me that your degree is proof, to yourself and to the world, that you can start and complete a project. This isn't to make light of the vastly different paths college offers to us, but to contextualize that the most valuable part of the learning experience is the life experience – learning how to listen to yourself, learning how to see things through, learning how to learn, and, when need be, learning how to pivot. In our family, we have focused on chasing our curiosities, with the belief that opportunities will blossom from the intersection of our identity and interests.
What are some lessons from your own education journey that you think every young person should hear?
First: It's OK not to have all the answers. We live in this era where everyone feels the expectation to have a five-year plan by the time they're 17. I'm 25 and still don't know what the next five years will hold for me. Some of the most interesting people I know have taken what many would consider unconventional paths. In fact, we are living in a time in which we are all realizing that to bring about a better world, we cannot rely on the status quo, and we will need to pursue unconventional paths.
Second: Let yourself be 'bad' at things. I had to learn (and am still learning) that not every attempt of mine would be a surefire success, and that's part of my growth process. With the very real pressure of having to be the best for doors to open, we can get consumed with looking polished and/or trying to find the 'correct' way of moving. I've had to remind myself, we are not here to know; we are here to learn, and the best learning happens when we give ourselves permission to fumble through something new.
Lastly: Your education – whether it's in school or out in the world – is for you. Honor your learning style, expand your worldview, and share your unique creativity and skills with the global community!
You juggle so much – acting, activism, and academics. How has college helped you evolve as a person and as a leader?
Being a student at Harvard reaffirmed the importance of being a student of life. My college experience was a practice in giving myself permission to grow. Separate from being a public figure because of my career, being a young adult in this day and age comes with some sort of public persona and a feeling of having to be certain to be taken seriously, which, in many ways, is the same as being static. Being in classrooms with people from so many different backgrounds forced me to challenge my own perspectives, deepen the reasoning for my beliefs, and grow curious about topics that had never been on my radar. Being able to balance maintaining a core set of values while engaging with new ideas has helped me maneuver my career, created a source of optimism as we look for brighter futures, and helped me in my evolution into the person I want to be.
Your generation is redefining success in so many ways. How do you think young people today can balance passion, purpose, and education?
I think it's incredible how we're expanding the definition of success beyond traditional metrics. People want to do things that feel meaningful, and I think this generation has a beautiful sense of community where we are also invested in each other's successes. Life seems like the group project we have to learn to love, and it's up to us to figure out how we want to show up for the group. Our success seems to lie in embracing all of who we are, which allows us to contribute in a way that is unique to us. Allow yourself the freedom to explore different fields – be it arts, sciences, activism or anything else that ignites your curiosity. Remember, it's OK to have multiple passions and to pursue them in various capacities. Finding what fulfills us is the ultimate success.
Catch up on Yara's podcast, 'The Optimist Project,' on Sirius XM.