Tracee Ellis Ross Is Unapologetic About Being ‘Good Enough’
So, I'm one of those people who believes that we genuinely do not deserve Tracee Ellis Ross. My fascination with her rings true, as she proves time and time again that she is a walking deity in this shit, breaking out of the mold of the one thing that society tells us a black woman can be.
She has had one of the most drool-worthy upbringings (which she once compared to Blue Ivy), starred in two of the greatest sitcoms to hit television airwaves, has a high-profile, über successful business, and has one of the most banging energies (and bodies) in all of Hollywood. And she's a front-line advocate of 'teaching us all to get to know ourselves, to own our dreams and desires, to celebrate our individual paths, and to make space for people to follow their own paths too.'
How Tracee Ellis Ross manages to humbly offer some of the most unapologetic wisdom to the culture, I'll never know, but I damn sure welcome it.
Ross recently sat down with Glennon Doyle (Together Rising) for the Forbes Power Women Summit 2020, to discuss all the above. And the entire interview was brimming with top-tier advice, laughs, and quotables--just as we expected.
It opened with immediate nuggets, Doyle asking, "We have to do these things, we have to show up still, but how are you doing withthis 'COVID world'?" To which Ross answered beautifully:
"You know, even as we were setting up our tech for this, [I thought], good enough can be good enough. I'm not always my favorite version of myself in this and I don't seem to have access to some of my favorite things in life. It's a conscious effort to really cultivate things that anchor me to myself, to joy, and to connection and collective energy, because I like that energy a lot."
Doyle and Ross who come across as old friends catching up on the woes of the world never missed a beat.
The ladies went on to chat about the importance of detaching their self-worth from others' opinions:
"Particularly for women, we have been raised in a patriarchal structure in which we are so busy seeing ourselves from the outside, not even through a loving friend's gaze, but through a judgmental man's gaze. That is so confusing. I've tried to be all of the different things and the truth is, I'm best at being me.
This rings true, particularly with Ross expressing her struggles of being pressured to operate on societal deadlines when it comes to being a wife and mother in the past--which she absolutely refuses to subscribe to.
"Finally, then came the journey of: how do I find the courage to actually be the person that I know I am, and then even maybe on some days like her?
"And even if I don't like her—and even if there's a favorite version of me and my not-favorite version of me and all these different kinds—how do I be kind to her, no matter what?"
Her bright smile, which feature a bomb red lip shined through as she finished:
"I feel like the truth of who I am, personally, is the truth of who I am professionally. I bring that same person, my same intentions, the same whole self goes into all of these aspects."
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Featured image by Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com
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Charmin Michelle is a southern native and creative spirit who works as a content marketer and events manager in Chicago. She enjoys traveling, #SummertimeChi, and the journey of mastering womanhood. Connect with her on Instagram @charminmichelle.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Tyler James Williams Explains Why His And Quinta Brunson 'Abbott Elementary' Characters Should Remain Friends
While Abbott Elementary fans are hoping that Janine and Gregory end up together, the show’s star has another take. Tyler James Williams plays Gregory on the Emmy award-winning sitcom, and he recently stopped by The Jennifer Hudson Show to share his point of view on his storyline with Janine, which Quinta Brunson plays.
“I hate to say it. I know that everybody’s always mad at me for this. I don’t necessarily want to see them together,” he revealed. “It’s partially an actor’s choice, but also somebody who, like, I read a lot of scripts all the time. I watch a lot of TV, a lot of film. I don’t think that we see displays of platonic love between two people often. I think it’s really easy to go right to they have feelings for each other, therefore they should be together. I like this dynamic of exploring withholding that and just actively loving each other where they are. That I like to see more.”
If you recall, they were co-workers who became friends but were secretly crushing on each other. They’ve had many awkward run-ins during and after school, like the unforgettable club scene where they were dancing nervously with each other in season one, and in season two, they finally kiss. However, it only made things even more awkward, and they decided to just be friends. Tyler further explained why he thinks it’s important to showcase that type of relationship on screen.
“I think it’s time for that. I think TV allows people to see things that could be their lives for the first time, and I think seeing a healthy friendship that is deeply caring about one another in a work atmosphere needs to be shown more than the relationship,” he concluded.
Abbott Elementary comes on every Wednesday at 9 p.m. EST on ABC.
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Feature image by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
