Tessa Thompson

And then separately, I think, as someone that grew up, you know, I remember – and I think her father was just trying –

to give her the best odds.

But for example, suggesting that maybe she changed her name on a resume to sound less ethnic because it might help her get jobs.

And in fact, it did.

It worked.

He was not wrong, you know, in the 1980s.

But I think my mom really wanting to make sure that I didn't feel like I had to make any concessions of self that I could show up exactly as I was.

And she did it in really small ways.

For example, I remember very early on wanting to

straightened my hair to get my hair chemically straightened.

And my mom was very sweet and very generous.

And she's like, we can investigate the whole process and do it.

And we investigated everything.

I'd had like a series of very terrible blowouts that the weather didn't agree with.

And she was like, whatever makes you happy.

But she outlined everything for me.

And finally, it was my choice.

I said, no, I want to keep my hair just like this.

And I remember when I made that choice, she cried because she was so happy.

But she had given the choice to me, you know.