Tessa Thompson

And I think that was just an early indication that was so helpful for me then when I navigated Hollywood and eventually was on sets where people deeply decided that I had to straighten my hair, that I had to look one way or another.

My mom gave me an early sense of self enough that I could say, no, actually, I want to look like myself again.

And I'm not sure that I would have known how to do that were it not for my mother.

And also I think she did a really phenomenal job at raising a mixed race daughter and like connecting me to my black identity and making sure that I was like in those spaces.

spaces and taking me out of private schools that were completely white where i was the only kid of color in there on scholarship and understanding that like what that felt like you know you were even homeschooled for a while yeah because i was in a i was in a school system that frankly was racist and and not great and i was bullied in that school and um

And she understood how detrimental that was to me at a very young age.

And we didn't have the money to get to a better school district.

And so she took me out of school and homeschooled me until we could.

Yes.

The yes is bigger and more visible to audiences than the no is.

But, you know, I got the yes first and then many years later I thought I needed to get the no for good measure.

But I think, and they're on separate arms, I do think I'm constantly wrestling with

With that, I think I wrestle with my cynicism and my optimism.

I think they're always in a bit of a tussle.

Because that's what they represent.

It was a reminder to myself that we are as much defined by the things that we don't do than by the things that we do.

And I think I needed to be reminded to say no.

I think I'm partially because of my optimism and boundless energy.

I'm someone that's inclined to say yes.

And also, I think in this industry, there is a perceived feeling of scarcity here.