Miesha Tate

Yeah, absolutely. My mom was really hard on me a lot of times, too. She was the truth holder. But then I knew what she said she meant. You know, I knew that there wasn't the sugar coating. Now, she was wrong about me liking wrestling, but she let me know, like, I don't think you're going to like it. And, yeah, I'm not buying you wrestling shoes until I know you're going to do it for sure.

Yeah, absolutely. My mom was really hard on me a lot of times, too. She was the truth holder. But then I knew what she said she meant. You know, I knew that there wasn't the sugar coating. Now, she was wrong about me liking wrestling, but she let me know, like, I don't think you're going to like it. And, yeah, I'm not buying you wrestling shoes until I know you're going to do it for sure.

So it was the first few weeks of, you know, just wrestling barefoot, basically. But, yeah, you know, it was, you know, and I didn't grow up wealthy, right? My not, not even, I would say close to that. It probably wasn't until closer to high school when my parents were becoming more financially secure. So, you know, it was really rough in the beginning. It was, it was tough.

So it was the first few weeks of, you know, just wrestling barefoot, basically. But, yeah, you know, it was, you know, and I didn't grow up wealthy, right? My not, not even, I would say close to that. It probably wasn't until closer to high school when my parents were becoming more financially secure. So, you know, it was really rough in the beginning. It was, it was tough.

You know, actually my, who I refer to as my dad, his name's Rob. He raised me since I was like two and a half, but actually biologically he's not my father by blood. So the first two and a half, three years of my life, I was raised by my mother only. And we were so poor. We were so, so poor. And we lived, we had a house that, but it was given to us by my mom's mom. My grandmother.

You know, actually my, who I refer to as my dad, his name's Rob. He raised me since I was like two and a half, but actually biologically he's not my father by blood. So the first two and a half, three years of my life, I was raised by my mother only. And we were so poor. We were so, so poor. And we lived, we had a house that, but it was given to us by my mom's mom. My grandmother.

That's an easier way to say it, isn't it? My grandmother. But it was not in great condition. The roof needed repair. The roof needed to be redone. And I remember that at points, our power being turned off in the middle of the winter and us only really being able to heat one room in the back. I ate cereal every single day, breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

That's an easier way to say it, isn't it? My grandmother. But it was not in great condition. The roof needed repair. The roof needed to be redone. And I remember that at points, our power being turned off in the middle of the winter and us only really being able to heat one room in the back. I ate cereal every single day, breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

And it was so cold in our house that even the toilets at times were frozen over. So, you know, those formative years, but my mother's always been the kind of person that would go without to make sure that I had, you know, what I needed. There were times when school would be starting and my mother's shoes would be like falling off of her feet.

And it was so cold in our house that even the toilets at times were frozen over. So, you know, those formative years, but my mother's always been the kind of person that would go without to make sure that I had, you know, what I needed. There were times when school would be starting and my mother's shoes would be like falling off of her feet.

And yet she would make sure that I had new shoes to go to school with. Even though my shoes were still fine, her shoes, she really needed new, but she would make sure that I went to school with new shoes. So she always sacrificed. so much to make sure. And, you know, I'll never forget that. And I think because of those moments, I always felt like in debt to my mom.

And yet she would make sure that I had new shoes to go to school with. Even though my shoes were still fine, her shoes, she really needed new, but she would make sure that I went to school with new shoes. So she always sacrificed. so much to make sure. And, you know, I'll never forget that. And I think because of those moments, I always felt like in debt to my mom.

So whenever I saw my mom go through something hard or difficult or challenging, I wanted to save her from it. And when you have a lack of male presence in your life, in whatever way that you interpret that, whether it's because you're Some dads are in prison. Some dads are removed from the home in that way. Some dads are removed in the home because they're emotionally unavailable.

So whenever I saw my mom go through something hard or difficult or challenging, I wanted to save her from it. And when you have a lack of male presence in your life, in whatever way that you interpret that, whether it's because you're Some dads are in prison. Some dads are removed from the home in that way. Some dads are removed in the home because they're emotionally unavailable.

Some dads are removed from the home because they're working so much. And by the time they get home, there's barely any time to spend together, much less, you know, my dad didn't have great coping skills. He didn't have the best.

Some dads are removed from the home because they're working so much. And by the time they get home, there's barely any time to spend together, much less, you know, my dad didn't have great coping skills. He didn't have the best.

upbringing either so when he would come home it would be like kind of turn the TV on I need to decompress I'm exhausted he didn't really have a lot of time and energy to invest in understanding this young woman that was growing up in his house you know he'd never raised a girl before much less other children So, you know, I think I felt a big disconnect there for a while.

upbringing either so when he would come home it would be like kind of turn the TV on I need to decompress I'm exhausted he didn't really have a lot of time and energy to invest in understanding this young woman that was growing up in his house you know he'd never raised a girl before much less other children So, you know, I think I felt a big disconnect there for a while.

And that became sort of my backbone, if you will. I kind of took that and said, whatever you don't provide me, I will find in myself.

And that became sort of my backbone, if you will. I kind of took that and said, whatever you don't provide me, I will find in myself.