Skai Jackson is feeling “so amazing” as she adjusts to life as a new mom!
The Disney alum, 22, stepped out to the 56th NAACP Image Awards Creative Honors in Los Angeles on Friday, Feb. 21, for what marked her first public outing since announcing the birth of her son, Kasai, last month.
She told PEOPLE in an exclusive interview on the red carpet that the experience of motherhood has already “been so positive.”
“I love being a new mom. It’s just so exciting. So exciting,” Jackson says. “I’m here tonight, I’m already missing my baby. But it’s been a great month with my new little one.”
The actress previously announced that she and her boyfriend — whom she did not publicly identify at the time — welcomed their newborn by sharing a snap of herself holding the baby’s hands on Jan. 26. She captioned the image with “Kasai 🧸🤎,” seemingly nodding to the child’s name, before later referring to her son by the name on social media weeks later.
PEOPLE previously confirmed in November 2024 that Jackson was expecting her first child with her partner.
At Friday’s event, Jackson told PEOPLE she has been fortunate to have “such amazing support” behind her as she navigates first-time motherhood.
“So it’s not too bad. But he’s definitely giving me a run for my money,” she jokes of Kasai. “He’s such a big baby, eats so much… but it’s something that I love. I love seeing my baby every day.”
Jackson’s son has already taught her a valuable lesson, she adds: “I feel like now I can just do anything.”
“I feel like being a mom and juggling everything probably has to be one of the hardest jobs, but it’s such a rewarding job because I’m doing it for him at the end of the day,” she explains. “So I definitely learned that about myself. I can just handle whatever at this point.”
Upon the announcement of her pregnancy last year, Jackson said that she was “thrilled to begin this new chapter in my life” as she also explored some new acting projects. Known for playing Zuri Ross on Disney Channel’s Jessie and its spinoff Bunk’d, Jackson also became a published author at 19 with the release of her book Reach for the Skai: How to Inspire, Empower and Clapback. She recently appeared in the thriller The Man in the White Van.
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Following her Friday outing, Jackson shared a photo of her baby on her Instagram Stories on Saturday, Feb. 22. Tagging brand Atara & Co in the post, she wrote that “Kasai loves his outfit,” as the baby wore a matching top and bottoms with little moons printed on them.
Jackson told PEOPLE in February 2023 that her own mother — Kiya Cole, who raised the actress as a single mom — “always taught me to stand up for myself.”
“Stand up for what I believe in and fight for what is right,” she added. “I thank her for that because without her, I probably wouldn’t have a lot of the confidence that I do now.”
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