Jada Smith advocates for recognition of Black Gen X women in the arts, highlighting their struggles and resilience.

Jada Smith has endured a rough phase of her life growing up. Her recent memoir Worthy, released last October, is the reminiscence of her that phase of life when she had to sell drugs in her teens. The actor has been vocal about the recognition of Black artists on global platforms.

Jada Pinkett Smith as Fish Mooney

While speaking with NPR, the Girls Trip actor meticulously discussed Black Gen X women celebrities, and her stance on this matter is prevalent in movies like A Different World, Jason’s Lyric, Menace II Society, and Set It Off. The actor said that she wanted to connect to those who have experienced the same as her early days because she thinks they were really invisible.

Jada Smith Speaks on the Strength of ‘Black Gen X Women’ 

In the interview with NPR, the interviewer asked Jada Smith about how she has not only survived her tough early days but also won it. To this, Smith said:

“There was this war on drugs, but nobody was talking about the devastation that was happening, right? And nobody was talking about the kids of that devastation, right? And so it was almost as if our trials, our horrors, our pain was just invisible. And so having an opportunity – coming to LA and, you know, being given somewhat of an outlet to start to, you know, express to the world what was happening within our communities – it was really an interesting time because it was a lot of worlds that we had to learn how to walk without any training.”

Jada Smith and Will Smith on Red Table Talk. Credit: Facebook Watch

She added:

“All of us had to learn just on the fly – you know what I mean? We had to learn on the fly (laughter). And so, you know, it was quite a firewalk.”

However, the arts strived. Even after facing such a roadblock, somehow, she managed to cherish and nurture the artiste in her. Smith said:

“Survival is creativity – you know what I mean? And a lot of us had a lot of creative ways in which we survived. And I think that’s what makes our generation so durable, so unique.”

Still, Smith invites the Black Gen X Women to stand and voice their struggle with art forms, which, the actor believes, will be immersive, reaching millions of black women. Given her history of turbulent past Smith’s comment on the matter, it justifies the very significance of it.

Jada Pinkett Sold Drugs As a Teen 

Jada Smith often dominates headlines with engrossing details of her life, including her marriage with the King Richard actor Will Smith. Beyond that, her life is not a fairytale, as seen in Hollywood glimmer. Jada Smith endured a devastating past that almost ruined her life.

Jada Smith in an episode of Red Table Talk. Credit; Facebook Watch

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, the actor revealed that she sold drugs in her teens. She said:

“When you aren’t the priority of your parents, you don’t know how to be a priority to yourself. I had parents who were addicted to drugs… I knew that anything that I needed was something I needed to provide for. I decided to sell drugs.”

Growing up, “the drug dealers were the ones that had affluence,” shared Jada Smith.

“That’s what we readily saw as success. And so, for me, considering my circumstances at the time, my mother was not doing well. She was a high-functioning heroin addict. We didn’t have the things that we should have. The home we lived in was not taken care of.”

But growing up in Baltimore proved to be a blessing in disguise for her. She learned the ways to become fearless and someone who could detect danger. Eventually, she brought those traits to her career in Hollywood, and it served her well.