This Star of 'The Hunger Games' Drops Some Knowledge About Cultural Appropriation

"The Hunger Games" star Amandla Stenberg releases a thought-provoking video on cultural appropriation.

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Cultural appropriation is rampant in today’s society.

From Kendall Jenner’s cornrows to Miley Cyrus’ twerking to concert-goers’ Native American headdresses, there are many instances in which white people have stolen—and ruined—parts of ethnic culture for the sole purpose of seeming "edgy."

But why is society so quick to disparage a culture that it also likes to imitate? And furthermore, why the hell are white people taking credit for "trends" that have existed well before they went mainstream?

In a new video by The Hunger Games star Amandla Stenberg, the 16-year-old tackles these questions by exploring music’s (mis)appropriation of black culture in everything from dance to hairstyles to language. It's a thought-provoking look at an issue that often goes ignored. And we're definitely impressed by Amandla's ability to speak so honestly about such a heavy topic. 

“Hip hop stems from a black struggle, it stems from jazz and blues, styles of music African-Americans created to retain humanity in the face of adversity,” Amandla says in the video titled Don’t Cash Crop My Cornrows. “On a smaller scale but in a similar vein, braids and cornrows are not merely stylistic. They’re necessary to keep black hair neat.”

She continues to educate viewers in institutionalized racism by pointing out examples in mainstream entertainment and tying it to the recent Black Lives Matter protests. Though she's only in high school, she clearly knows what she's talking about and isn't afraid to point out the blatant hypocrisy within the industry by calling out artists who have no understanding of the culture from which they're biting from. 

“What would America be like if we loved black people as much as we love black culture?” she asks in the video’s conclusion.

It's a question that definitely needs to be asked and definitely considered. You can check out Amandla's four-minute video above. Just get ready to be schooled. 

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