John Legend says he will talk to his children about their mixed heritage and life in the US when they’re old enough to understand
John Legend is a passionate advocate for criminal justice reform and anti-racism.
And on Sunday’s episode of Australian current affairs program The Project, the African-American singer, 41, spoke about raising his children in the United States.
John, who shares daughter Luna, four, and son Miles, two, with Asian-American wife Chrissy Teigen, said they will talk to their kids about their mixed heritage when they are old enough to understand.
Anti-racism advocate: John Legend, 41, told Australian TV program The Project on Sunday that he will talk to his children about ‘what it means to be who they are’ and their unique heritage while growing up in the US, when they are old enough to understand
When asked by co-host Tommy Little whether he explains to his children what is happening in the US, John responded: ‘They’re too young right now, but eventually we’ll have to talk to them about what’s going on in this country.
‘What it means to be who they are… their mother is Asian American, I’m African American… that gives them heritage.’
John went on to say that he hopes to not ‘squash’ their goals while explaining current history.
‘Heritage that we want to explain to them, and explain what that means in the context of being in the United States, of being citizens in the world.
Family: John said he will explain to his children about their heritage, and ‘what that means in the context of being in the US’. Pictured with wife Chrissy Teigen, 34, and their children, daughter Luna, four, and son Miles, two
Optimism: John went on to say that he hopes to not ‘squash’ their goals while explaining current history: ‘Give them the belief that they can do anything they want to do’
‘But also not squash their hope, squash their optimism and give them the belief that they can do anything they want to do.’
John spoke about racial discrimination in an interview with PEOPLE in January, acknowledging that his life now is ‘not the experience of the average black man’.
‘I’m in a position of privilege and celebrity and all these other things, so there’s a lot of doors that open for me that aren’t open for other people,’ he said.
‘I’m in a position of privilege and celebrity’: John spoke about racial discrimination in an interview with PEOPLE in January, acknowledging that his life now is ‘not the experience of the average black man’. Pictured in February
‘People recognise me and treat me a certain way because they recognise me. I’m clear that my life now is not the experience of the average black man. I’m fully aware of that.’
John went on to say that he couldn’t be prouder to be a black man.
‘There’s so much greatness that comes from black culture and the upbringing that I’ve had,’ he said. ‘I wouldn’t be the artist I am if I weren’t black, so it’s hard for me to even imagine me not being black.’
‘I wouldn’t be the artist I am if I weren’t black’: John went on to say that he couldn’t be prouder to be a black man. Pictured in March