DUBAI: Yara Shahidi is making moves. The actress, who plays Zoey Johnson on “Black-ish” and its college spin-off “Grown-ish,” is also now a major producer, courtesy of a new deal that she inked with ABC, the network studio behind the two successful sitcoms she stars in. The part-Middle Eastern star, and her mother Keri Shahidi, announced the launch of their new production company, 7th Sun, and signed an exclusive overall deal with ABC Studios which will see them develop television projects for streaming, cable and broadcast. The move makes Shahidi the youngest network producer ever. The 20-year-old shared the exciting news via Instagram, writing, “The vision is set. The slate is built.” She added: “Grateful to my ABC family & excited to join the television landscape to collaborate and push forward the stories of our many intersections.” She also credited “Black-ish” creator Kenya Barris for “paving the way.” A champion for racial justice, Shahidi aims to focus on stories from underrepresented communities and “projects that touch upon themes of history, heritage, culture,and joy,” 7th Sun said in a release. ABC Studios said in a statement: “We can’t wait to extend and expand our relationship with the incredibly talented Yara Shahidi, who has been a member of the family since ‘Black-ish.’ When she’s not studying at Harvard and starring in our series ‘Grown-ish,’ she’s mentoring and inspiring other young people, which makes us all feel like underachievers but also very proud that she’s part of our studio.” In addition to her critically-acclaimed roles on “Black-ish” and “Grown-ish,” the young mogul’s other acting credits include shows like “The First Family” and “Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia.” She was also a co-executive producer on the Oscar-winning short film “Hair Love.” As well as acting, Yara is widely recognized for her commitment to activism. The actor has founded Yara’s Club – a partnership with the Young Women’s Leadership Network (YWLN) of New York – which provides an online mentoring programme to help end poverty through education. The former First Lady Michelle Obama even wrote her letter of recommendation to Harvard University, and highlighted the importance of her work.