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Zendaya Chats About Race in Yahoo Style Fashion Editorial

The starlet shares how she's become more assertive.

Zendaya might have turned down her role as Aaliyah for Lifetime’s recent biopic on the late singer, but the 18-year-old actress’s schedule is still jam-packed with projects. Not only is she working on a second album (her first went multi-platinum), but she’s set to star in and co-produce her own Disney Channel series, K.C. Undercover.

"Now I'm able to really have a vision," Zendaya told Yahoo Style while modeling designer looks by Fendi, Margiela and Valentino. "I can say what I want and be assertive. I can have a really, really strong voice and presence on my own show and be listened to. That's the coolest part. I have more control; I have more freedom to make [K.C. Undercover] something that I'm proud of."

The actress also gave her two cents on meaningful topics like race in America after applauding fellow Disney starlet Raven-Symoné for her work with the brand and speaking out about race and labels. Earlier this year, Zendaya, who is half-Black, backed off Lifetime’s biopic on Aaliyah due to concerns about the film’s quality and also the deafening roar from haters saying she wasn’t “Black enough” to play the titular role.

"It doesn't make sense," she says. "Here's how I put it: The first African-American president of the United States is half-black. So is he not the first black president? Is he just the first half-black president? Do we take that credit away from him? No. Whoever is supposed to play [Aaliyah] — whether they are half-Asian or whatever — it's not about that. It's about doing it with respect and integrity."

To read the entire piece and view her fashion shoot, click here.

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(Photo: Maria Karas for Yahoo! Style)

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