On Sunday, August 13, the Teen Choice Awards aired on FOX to celebrate music, movies, TV and more that impact teens today. But despite being entertaining, there was also an incredible moment of reflection and wisdom from Zendaya, the star of K.C. Undercover and who you surely recognize from Spider-Man: Homecoming and Bruno Mars' latest visuals for "Versace on the Floor."
Zendaya won the Teen Choice Summer Movie Actress Award, presented by Anthony Anderson from everyone's favorite sitcom, Black-ish. But when she took the stage, her message was deeper than summer blockbusters or awards shows. She spoke directly to the youth of today about responsibility, staying educated, and not being afraid to speak up against the injustices in the world (no doubt directly related to the terrifying events in Charlottesville over the weekend).
Thanks to role models like Zendaya, we can all hope that future generations will stay educated and stand up against injustice and inequality. Check out the text from her full speech below:
"With all the injustice and the hatred and everything that is happening not only in the world but in our country, I need for you young people to be educated. I need you to listen. I need you to pay attention. I need you to understand that you have a voice and it's OK to use it when you see something bad happening. Make sure that you stay educated, and do not let people tell you what you think you should feel. You're the leaders. You're the future leaders of the world. You're future presidents. You're future senators. You guys are the ones who will make this world better. I'm just letting you know, right now, that you are the future. So take that very seriously."