Thomas Rhett on Teaching His Black Daughter to Be Herself: ‘Shine Your Light’

Thomas Rhett says it’s pretty “hard to watch the news,” nowadays…  But he and his wife, Lauren Akins, are teaching their children to lead with love, kindness, and the ability to fight for change.

Rhett and Akins are the parents of Willa Grey, their 4-year-old daughter, whom they adopted from Uganda in 2017.  Rhett says it is important to them to teach Willa “who you are, and to embrace your uniqueness and embrace your culture as well.”

Talking openly to Willa and her sisters, Ada James and Lennon, about how their family “looks different” is something Rhett and Akins will continue to do, as long as the children are in their household and beyond, says Rhett.   “We just try to preach to our kids to shine your light everywhere you go and realize that the world is cruel, but that doesn’t mean that you have to be,” says Rhett.