Media personality Amina Abdi Rabar has criticized American actress Skai Jackson over Kenya lacking mirrors comments she made during a discussion about her experiences in Africa.
In a viral clip, Skai Jackson recalled visiting a school in a Kenyan village and claimed that mirrors were expensive, so some children did not know what they looked like until they saw their reflections on her phone.
“So like down there, mirrors are very expensive. A lot of the kids did not know what they looked like. So for the first time, they saw what they looked like on my phone, and they were laughing, and they were so happy,” Skai Jackson said.
The comments sparked debate among Kenyans online, with many questioning whether the actress had unfairly portrayed the country based on a single community’s experience.
Responding to the clip, media personality Amina Abdi argued that it was inaccurate to generalize Kenya using observations from one location.
Further, Amina noted that the country is diverse and home to modern cities, successful businesses, and thriving communities.
“Why would you come for poverty tourism, which is when you visit the poorest parts of our country and then paint it as though the whole population lives like this? That is quite unfortunate,” Amina Abdi responded to Skai Jackson’s comment on her social media platform on July 19.
Amina argued that while poverty exists in some parts of Kenya, it should not be used to define the entire nation.
Further, she added that portraying isolated experiences as the reality for all Kenyans creates a misleading image for international audiences.
Supporters of Amina believe Jackson’s comments reinforced stereotypes often associated with African countries.
Despite some of the online communities supporting the media personality, others, however, emphasized that the actress was sharing a personal experience from a specific village and may not have intended to describe Kenya as a whole.
Following Skai Jackson’s remark, the discussion has also been reignited about how international visitors represent African countries when sharing experiences from disadvantaged communities.
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Who is Amina Abdi?
Amina Abdi Rabar is a Kenyan media personality, television presenter, and content creator.
The media personality was born on June 28, 1989, in Nairobi, and was raised in Eastleigh and Kawangware.
She attended The Kenya High School, where she completed her secondary education in 2006.
Professionally, Amina Abdi is widely known for her work in the Kenyan entertainment industry, having hosted several television and radio programs.
Amina gained national recognition through her work at NTV, where she became one of the country’s most popular entertainment presenters.
In 2018, she was listed among the 100 Most Influential Young Africans for her contributions to the media and entertainment industry.
In addition, she is also known for her strong social commentary on issues affecting Kenyan society and frequently shares her views on current affairs through her social media platforms.
Beyond her media career, Amina has ventured into music, releasing singles such as Swag, Paint Town Red, On Me, and Grown and Sexy.
She has collaborated with Kenyan artists, including Octopizzo, Jay A, rapper Lon Jon, and K-Letta.
About Skai Jackson
Skai Jackson is an American actress, author, and television personality born on April 8, 2002.
She began her career as a child model, appearing in national commercials for brands such as Band-Aid and acting in the independent film Liberty Kid in 2007
Skai rose to fame as a child star on the Disney Channel, where she portrayed Zuri Ross in the hit series Jessie and its spin-off Bunk’d, earning a 2016 NAACP Image Award nomination.
In 2019, she published her memoir Reach for the Skai: How to Inspire, Empower and Clapback with Random House.
Skai Jackson has been recognized on lists including The Hollywood Reporter’s Top 30 Stars Under 18, Variety’s Young Hollywood Impact Report, TIME’s Most Influential Teens, and EBONY’s Power 100.
In late 2024, Skai announced she was expecting her first child and welcomed her son, Kasai, in January 2025.
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