While we all love her iconic roles, comedic flair, and knack for capturing the many facets of the Black woman – white Hollywood didn’t always give Tracee Ellis Ross acting roles that allowed her to tell authentic Black stories. But she persevered.
Ross is the daughter of legendary entertainer Diana Ross. Due to this, she might have always been destined for greatness!
She studied theater in the ‘90s and eventually graced our televisions in one of the most beloved Black sitcoms: Girlfriends. While continuing to command a presence on our screens, Ross has always found time to prioritize Black women off screen, too.
Ross saw firsthand the lack of Black-owned products dedicated to Black hair. So she launched a hair care line, Pattern, specifically for curly locks! She prioritized our people and refused to take no for an answer.
Black art, creativity and entrepreneurship makes the world go round! Like Ross, we should never accept anyone’s control of our stories or the limitations on available resources for our people.
Ross’ Hollywood experience is similar to that of many Black women. We’re constantly boxed-in by white patriarchal institutions within which we’re forced to navigate. Ross teaches us the importance of telling our own authentic stories and prioritizing our people no matter what!