We haven’t seen too much of Angelina Jolie during the last few months because of lockdown but we have heard from her. She’s made donations, she’s written essays, she’s been on video chat with select media outlets continuing her humanitarian work. As we know, Angelina travels a lot with the UNHCR but since that’s not an option right now, she’s been, like so many other people, using technology to make sure that the initiatives she partners with are still being supported. During a recent call with climate activist Vanessa Nakate for TIME she talked about how climate change is often connected to poverty and conflict and the effects of climate change on girls. Angelina also asked Vanessa about Black Lives Matter and her experience with racism and inequality. She also talked about Zahara:
“My daughter is from Ethiopia, one of my children. And I have learned so much from her. She is my family, but she is an extraordinary African woman and her connection to her country, her continent, is her own and it’s something I only stand back in awe of.”
I appreciate that she’s making a point here of saying that, of course, she’s there to learn and participate but that there should be space for Zahara to explore her heritage and engage with her own identity independently. And I imagine it’s that way for all of her children.
Here’s Angelina with Pax yesterday at a restaurant in Los Angeles wearing their masks. Shortly after, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced the immediate closure of indoor dining and drinking and entertainment across the state as they are heading back into lockdown so we may not be seeing photos like this for another while, although I think patios are still open? Will be interesting to see, if that’s the case, which celebrities end up on the patio. Definitely won’t be Angelina Jolie.
