Alex Elle

And I refused to be who people said I was going to be because there was no way I was going to let anyone continue to tell me who I could and couldn't be.

And I refused to be who people said I was going to be because there was no way I was going to let anyone continue to tell me who I could and couldn't be.

I grew up in a very abusive home. My mom was filled with rage and anger. And I got the brunt of that physically and verbally. And I was terrified of her. I grew up feeling like I was hated. I grew up feeling like I was unwanted and a mistake. And I'd never wanted my children to feel like that. And I didn't want to feel like that anymore. So I had to make the choice to like, okay, if...

I grew up in a very abusive home. My mom was filled with rage and anger. And I got the brunt of that physically and verbally. And I was terrified of her. I grew up feeling like I was hated. I grew up feeling like I was unwanted and a mistake. And I'd never wanted my children to feel like that. And I didn't want to feel like that anymore. So I had to make the choice to like, okay, if...

I grew up in a very abusive home. My mom was filled with rage and anger. And I got the brunt of that physically and verbally. And I was terrified of her. I grew up feeling like I was hated. I grew up feeling like I was unwanted and a mistake. And I'd never wanted my children to feel like that. And I didn't want to feel like that anymore. So I had to make the choice to like, okay, if...

If my mother couldn't love me in the way that I think I deserve to be loved, I have to find a way to love myself. I mean, a big part of me getting pregnant at 18 because I was searching for love in all the wrong places. I didn't value myself. I didn't value my body.

If my mother couldn't love me in the way that I think I deserve to be loved, I have to find a way to love myself. I mean, a big part of me getting pregnant at 18 because I was searching for love in all the wrong places. I didn't value myself. I didn't value my body.

If my mother couldn't love me in the way that I think I deserve to be loved, I have to find a way to love myself. I mean, a big part of me getting pregnant at 18 because I was searching for love in all the wrong places. I didn't value myself. I didn't value my body.

And so that had to change because I was having this kid, another Black girl, you know, and I didn't want her to grow up hating herself, right? I learned self-hatred before I learned self-love. Wow. And it's interesting. My mom and I had a conversation when I was 30. This is probably why all this shit hit the fan. Conversations will do that, won't they? Yeah.

And so that had to change because I was having this kid, another Black girl, you know, and I didn't want her to grow up hating herself, right? I learned self-hatred before I learned self-love. Wow. And it's interesting. My mom and I had a conversation when I was 30. This is probably why all this shit hit the fan. Conversations will do that, won't they? Yeah.

And so that had to change because I was having this kid, another Black girl, you know, and I didn't want her to grow up hating herself, right? I learned self-hatred before I learned self-love. Wow. And it's interesting. My mom and I had a conversation when I was 30. This is probably why all this shit hit the fan. Conversations will do that, won't they? Yeah.

When my book After the Rain came out, which is like part memoir, part guide. And I talk a lot about me and my mom's relationship in that book. And I am a big believer in that my stories are not just my stories. And so I gave her the book and I wrote her a letter and I said, I bookmarked the pages that were about us. And I said, whenever you're ready to talk, I would love to talk to you about this.

When my book After the Rain came out, which is like part memoir, part guide. And I talk a lot about me and my mom's relationship in that book. And I am a big believer in that my stories are not just my stories. And so I gave her the book and I wrote her a letter and I said, I bookmarked the pages that were about us. And I said, whenever you're ready to talk, I would love to talk to you about this.

When my book After the Rain came out, which is like part memoir, part guide. And I talk a lot about me and my mom's relationship in that book. And I am a big believer in that my stories are not just my stories. And so I gave her the book and I wrote her a letter and I said, I bookmarked the pages that were about us. And I said, whenever you're ready to talk, I would love to talk to you about this.

And my mom and I had started repairing our relationship. We were able to relate to one another as women and not just mother and daughter. And we sat down and we talked on my 30th birthday. She apologized to me for the first time. And she said, I am sorry for not being able to show up for you. I had so much going on. I was so angry and so enraged.

And my mom and I had started repairing our relationship. We were able to relate to one another as women and not just mother and daughter. And we sat down and we talked on my 30th birthday. She apologized to me for the first time. And she said, I am sorry for not being able to show up for you. I had so much going on. I was so angry and so enraged.

And my mom and I had started repairing our relationship. We were able to relate to one another as women and not just mother and daughter. And we sat down and we talked on my 30th birthday. She apologized to me for the first time. And she said, I am sorry for not being able to show up for you. I had so much going on. I was so angry and so enraged.

And years ago, I probably would have been like, that's a cop out. That's an excuse. But being in the healing that I was in and that I am in, I was like, I see you. I see you. I understand where you were in your life and I understand what self-hatred does, you know?

And years ago, I probably would have been like, that's a cop out. That's an excuse. But being in the healing that I was in and that I am in, I was like, I see you. I see you. I understand where you were in your life and I understand what self-hatred does, you know?

And years ago, I probably would have been like, that's a cop out. That's an excuse. But being in the healing that I was in and that I am in, I was like, I see you. I see you. I understand where you were in your life and I understand what self-hatred does, you know?