Actress Jada Pinkett Smith says Baltimore School for the Arts is a key landmark in her journey to self-love.
“This place was a big contribution to establishing my skill set, my capabilities, to help me move towards my self-worth,” Pinkett Smith said to a packed ballroom of students and community members on Wednesday.
Finding that sense of self-worth is what Pinkett Smith’s new memoir, Worthy, is all about. The book chronicles her life from her teenage years in Baltimore City to her long-standing acting career and marriage to Will Smith.
Pinkett Smith admitted to the audience that she wasn’t the best student in high school, especially during her time involved in the city’s drug trade.
“I wasn’t the best student, but I was always so creatively inspired,” she said. Pinkett Smith credits many teachers and staff with instilling an early sense of self-worth.
“I was allowed to just be myself, and that's how I was able to self-actualize at such an early age,” she said. “So then I could go to L.A. at 18-years-old on my own. Because I knew who I was.”
Pinkett Smith’s daughter, musician Willow Smith, joined the stage to talk about their careers and mental health.
The two specifically focused on how to cope with negativity and criticism from strangers, which can seem overwhelming.
Pinkett Smith has faced a lot of backlash throughout her career, including recent criticisms from fans about her separation from husband Will Smith since 2016, and her relationship with singer August Alsina.
“As big as it might feel on the internet, that's not what is happening in the world,” Pinkett Smith said.
Smith said she had to learn to practice compassion with strangers, recognizing that she also feels the urge to act against her character when feeling insecure.
Pinkett Smith agreed, saying the negative comments are “more about people projecting their stuff on you.”
Faith Brunt, a senior vocal student at the Baltimore School for the Arts, said he appreciated this advice, especially as an aspiring artist.
“Going into a public career where people's eyes are all on you, I think it's really important to know how to deal with that and just accept that as part of anything you're doing in life,” he said.
Pinkett Smith also advised aspiring students to stop seeking fame on social media – and instead focus on “taking your craft seriously” by practicing and honing skills.
A lot has changed in the acting and arts scene, she said. “But the one thing that never changes is that when that opportunity, that door opens, and you are prepared and your skill sets are tight, you're gonna be way ahead of the game.”
The Baltimore-born actress also announced the return of Red Table Talk, her web talk show with her daughter and mother, sometime next year.
