Tatyana Ali is a civically engaged singer and actress that advocates for women empowerment. From an adored child TV star playing Ashley Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air alongside Will Smith, Ali uses her social consciousness to positively impact communities around the globe.
In a recent interview with Vibe, Ali revealed how she keeps her privacy in the public eye and her passion for empowering women.
"... I grew up in a time before gossip blogs and TMZ. The concept of celebrity culture is much different than it was when I was growing up," Ali revealed to Vibe. "But I also think it's because some things about my life are privileged information for family and friends, so only do certain things or say certain things to people. As someone who likes to play different characters and identities, I think it's important for me to present myself in a way where people will believe any character I play; I like to think that, in the public eye, I'm at a place where people don't know so much about me that it's hard for them to perceive me any other way."
Ali later explained that as a society, the focus should remain on the treatment of women all over he world. She believes women in powerful positions (e.g., celebrities, CEOs) have the opportunity to make a global change.
By partnering with the Boys and Girls Clubs nationwide and working closely with the Peace Corp, Ali works towards empowering women.
"I wish I had those kind of resources as a young girl — I think they're so powerful and beneficial," she told Vibe. "Empowerment was like water for me when I was younger and I try to do as much of that work as I can."
As a child, Ali dealt with identity struggles of her own. Essence reported on an interview in 2014 where the Fresh Prince of Bel Air star shared once feeling like an outsider because of the texture of her hair.
"I didn't want to be different," Ali said in an interview with VLAD TV via Essence. "I grew up wanting to twist my hair and wear my hair like my mom did and like my aunts did."
Fans of Fresh Prince of Bel-Air remember singing along to Ashley Banks belting out "Make Up Your Mind" on the show. In real life Ali is an artist, releasing music including album Kiss The Sky in 1998 and a recent EP named Hello in 2014.
