Michelle Young brought a new perspective into the Bachelor Nation universe when she first graced screens nationwide during Season 25 of The Bachelor. The Minnesota native stayed above the drama from day one and sparked difficult dialogues to help demand change within the reality TV landscape.
While she did not score the heart of Matt James, she received an opportunity of a lifetime to be the fresh face of Seasons 18 of The Bachelorette. When the 28-year-old was granted the title, she did not take the job lightly. The chance came knocking on her door, right off the heels of the insensitive racism incident that rocked the franchise – leaving Young with an abundance of weight on her shoulders.
Young did not hesitate to step up, as she knew she had the power to pave a new path in the palm of her hands. However, the elementary school teacher did not have to do it alone, as ABC brought in a Black co-host –[former Bachelorette Tayshia Adams] and Black executive producer, Jodi Baskerville for the very first time.
Just over here looking at all this love and support from #BachelorNation. This still doesn’t feel real! You all are the best. #TheBachelorette pic.twitter.com/XrP199vClR
— Michelle Young (@michelleyoung) October 20, 2021
“I would have never thought I would’ve been in this position, and I’m just trying to embrace it as I go,” shared Young to Celeb Secrets reporter Juliet Schroder on the iHeart Radio Jingle Ball red carpet in Los Angeles. “It was definitely a steep learning curve at times, but you just take it in stride. I think the biggest part was just staying true to who I am, and that is something I know how to do,” she adds.
Throughout the season – Young voiced her story and shared what it was like to be raised by a biracial couple, her perspective on life through the eyes of a black female, and she intertwined the significance of the Black Lives Matter Movement. “Being able to tell my story and see how it has impacted or inspired others is why I wanted to tell my story. What’s so cool to see is these messages that I get from moms and daughters and other women of color and girls of color, like how they felt, a moment of relief when I was able to express that,” she shared with Glamour.
Each week, reality TV enthusiasts watch Young slowly find her soulmate, be vulnerable, and even learn to better themselves. Yet, they don’t see her growth and the impact they have had on her life within just a short amount of time.
Before walking into the festive holiday concert, the beloved Bachelorette told Celeb Secrets about her independent growth and how the show strengthened her relationships with loved ones. Young also revealed that she had success with the journey, since she was open about her roller coaster-like feelings and completely trusted each step of the process.
“Talking about your emotions and reflecting, you can just grow so much,” she said. “I think I’ve just seen my friendships and relationships with my family members grow because of how you’re able to communicate your emotions. So, I think that’s the thing that I have just appreciated the most,” she concluded.
Even when her fairytale comes to an end on the big screen, she hopes to continue to inspire others and use her large platform as a launching pad to reach more individuals in order to generate change. “Being able to use this as a trampoline to be able to change the world. That is something I talked about coming into this. I think that there’s a lot of people that you can inspire and just start to create some good momentum.”
Will you be watching Young’s fairytale ending on Tuesday, December 21 on ABC? Let us know by dropping a reaction below or by sending us a tweet at @celebsecrets.
Watch our full interview with Michelle Young from the 2021 iHeart Jingle Ball red carpet now:
