Amandla Stenberg

Ameena Atif - March 20, 2016 Introduction

The name Amanda means power.  That alone should tell who Amandla Sternberg is.

She was born in Los Angeles, California, on October 23, 1998, to Karen Brailsford and Tom Stenberg. Amanda is an American actress and social activist. She landed the first of her Disney catalog modeling shoots when she was four years old. Amandla has shot numerous commercials and films. In April 2011, Lionsgate announced that Amandla had landed the role of Rue in the screen adaptation of Suzanne Collins' popular series, The Hunger Games. The highly anticipated film opened in theaters on March 23, 2012. The Los Angeles Times noted "the presence of young actress Amandla Stenberg, who makes a powerful impression as 12-year-old Rue.” Amandla earned an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture. She also won (with Jennifer Lawrence) a Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Chemistry.

Amandla is making her mark in the social media world. The teen social activist helped catapult the topic of cultural appropriation into the public when she posted her school project video, "Don't Cash Crop My Cornrows" on her Tumblr. She has been name one of The 30 Most Influential Teens of 2015 by Time Magazine. 

The teen dishes on feminism, #blacklivesmatter, and films in several interviews. In an interview for her cover story for ASOS magazine she said, “I’m not saying it’s unexpected to hear a 17-year-old speak with eloquent authority. It’s just in a world where appearance-obsessed Kardashian culture is inescapable, talking to a girl who takes pride in the power of her own voice, and understands its reach [and the possibility that by using it properly she can change the world], is incredibly inspiring.” She has inspired girls all over the world to have confidence and follow their dreams. 

Sources:

"Amandla Stenberg Tackles." World News. Accessed March 21, 2016. http://article.wn.com/view/2015/07/13/amandla_stenberg_tackles_x22double_standard_x22_of_beauty_fo/.

Link to the Timeline and Creative Piece here