Lawrence Zarian interviews Tatyana Ali about self-image at age 46 while working in DC during Black Maternal Health Week, emphasizing gratitude, presence, and being “enough.” Ali explains the week’s role in drawing attention to Black maternal health amid healthcare cuts, hospital closures, and “maternal care deserts,” and stresses that Black women are three to four times more likely to die in childbirth, with over 85% of deaths preventable due to systemic healthcare bias, lack of consent, and inadequate postpartum care. She shares her own obstetric violence experience and how respectful care with a Black midwife shaped her expectations and inspired Baby Yams blankets and quilts, which fundraise for doulas, midwives, and scholarships. Ali also reflects on child-actor life, regaining confidence after industry cruelty, memories from Fresh Prince, Broadway work in Fences, and advice to pursue art locally; she ends by saying she is beautiful because she never gives up.Menu: 00:00 Twin Banter01:40 Mirror Moment Enough04:30 Black Maternal Health Week06:00 Care Deserts And Joy08:23 Why Death Rates Higher10:18 We All Belong Story15:05 Baby Yams Origin20:12 Ashley Banks Spark21:23 Finding The Cipher24:44 Early Acting Beginnings26:38 First Fresh Prince Day28:20 Tom Jones Singalong29:33 Fresh Prince Cast Texts30:27 Desert Island Pick31:47 Life as Raspberry32:36 Broadway Fences Memories35:32 Duet Dreams Rejection37:12 Advice for Artists41:45 Surprised by Life44:17 Kindness Much Expected48:55 Beautiful Because Closing

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

Transcript

Related