Ten Seasons Later: Growth, Boundaries & Becoming

00:00:01
Speaker 1: Welcome to the Keep It Positive, Sweety Show, a space where we heal, grow and learn together. Today's episode is personally y'all. We are ten seasons into Sisters and over one million viewers tuned into the season ten premiere, and when I sit with that, it just feels bigger than numbers.

00:00:20
Speaker 2: It feels like growth, not just for the show, but for me too.

00:00:24
Speaker 1: So today I want to talk about what season ten really feels like from my perspective, what shifted for Fatima, and what visibility has taught me, and.

00:00:32
Speaker 2: What it means to grow in public while still be coming.

00:00:36
Speaker 1: Let's get into it, guys. Ten seasons is not something that I take lightly.

00:00:43
Speaker 2: I mean, when I.

00:00:43
Speaker 1: Really sit with it, ten seasons is not just about longevity. It's about evolution, and it's about women who have been watching from the very beginning, you know. It's about how many seasons of life that we have lived while this show has been unfolding. My goodness, when I think about it, it's been crazy. Season ten premiered with over one million views and with me and for me, honestly, guys, that wasn't just a number. It's about consistency, it's about trust, it's about you choosing to come back every single week. And what feels different to me in this season. It isn't the chaos, it's the maturity. It's the conversations that feel layered, the tension that feels earned, and doesn't feel like we're watching reactions anymore.

00:01:27
Speaker 2: It feels like we're watching decisions. I love that.

00:01:30
Speaker 1: So let's unpack it, shall We can we unpack a little bit? What does it mean to carry a character into a tenth season?

00:01:40
Speaker 2: Man?

00:01:41
Speaker 1: Where Fatima began season one to where she is now is leaves and bounds. And I don't take that privilege or responsibility because it's a privilege, but it's also responsibility. It's a carry a character for ten seasons. I don't take it lightly. But it's an honor, you know, to watch her grow, to see her really coming to her own you know, in the beginning, she was Andy's assistant. Fatima didn't even have a name, So to see where she is now and to be a household name that everybody loves, it's an honor. And I'm just grateful that I'm able to play this character that so many of you resonate with.

00:02:23
Speaker 2: So it's definitely been an honor.

00:02:25
Speaker 1: How does it feel knowing so many people are still invested?

00:02:29
Speaker 2: Listen? It is mind blowing. Okay, it blows my mind every week.

00:02:34
Speaker 1: When I see you guys in the comments and you're on Twitter and you're on threads and you're talking about the show, and this is ten seasons later and you're still just as invested as you were season one.

00:02:46
Speaker 2: It's amazing to know that what Tyler.

00:02:48
Speaker 1: Piry has built for us, by us is standing the test of time. And I'm just grateful to be a part of this journey and to have you guys along with us.

00:02:59
Speaker 2: Where do I feel the growth most in the show or in myself? In both? I'll start with Fatima. I feel like Fatima one.

00:03:12
Speaker 1: She's finally taken law school serious, She's in a relationship, she's pregnant, she loves her fiance, but.

00:03:21
Speaker 2: She also loves her girls.

00:03:23
Speaker 1: And watching her learn to balance that because for so long, Fatima was just like I'm about about Andy, my girls, my girls, my girls, and a lot of times Zach would he would kind of feel a way about that.

00:03:35
Speaker 2: So to see her.

00:03:38
Speaker 1: Being forced to finally choose herself, her child and her man is.

00:03:43
Speaker 2: Beautiful, you know, And finding balance but still being there for her girls.

00:03:46
Speaker 1: And as far as Crystal, I would say that in the past six years I have I've grown in so many different ways.

00:03:56
Speaker 2: You know, I was a lot younger.

00:03:59
Speaker 1: I don't feel like I really had a lot of direction. I knew what I was trying to do, but to step into this new space and this new world was just it was scary, you know. And to see how much I've learned during this time, have matured, and even with this podcast, have been able to step off the camera and offset and then come and sit in front of this camera and talk to you all about who I am and bring people on to really share our worlds with you. Has been amazing in the community we've built through Keep it positive, Sweety. It's my baby, and I'm so proud of it and the places that we're going and will continue to go. I'm really excited about it. But I have grown leaps and bounds through this. I'm just even being pushed into the limelight and attaining fame and wealth. It has been something that I've had to adjust to as well.

00:04:49
Speaker 2: You know, being able to go.

00:04:50
Speaker 1: To Target or Walmart and shop without anybody knowing you is different. When you go and as soon as you got the cars went like, is that the tame? So adjusting to that and understanding that it comes along with it, but it's something that I carry with pride, and I'm honored to be someone that you guys know and that you watch both on Sisters and on Keep You.

00:05:13
Speaker 2: Vye's a sweetie, So thank you, guys.

00:05:17
Speaker 1: Does this season feel more grounded than explosive? I mean, we're talking about Courtney Claude here. The man is just I don't know if there's grounded in Courney Claude. I'm not sure if those two words go on the same sentence.

00:05:31
Speaker 2: I'm joking, Courty, I'm jokie.

00:05:32
Speaker 1: We've seen what Courtney does online, so we're not gonna do anything to roll for his feathers today.

00:05:37
Speaker 2: But now I feel like it's both, you know, I feel like this is TV.

00:05:40
Speaker 1: We need the explosiveness and we need the groundedness equally the same. And I feel like these characters are definitely showing growth. We're evolving, and you're seeing us make wiser decisions.

00:05:52
Speaker 2: Some of us are me.

00:05:53
Speaker 1: I'm still making decisions where I'm thinking hahasuli and I'll just make call it baby brain. I don't know, but I think that you are seeing some of the characters mature. You're seeing us go through some things that have been hard to go through and hard for you all to watch.

00:06:10
Speaker 2: But these are real.

00:06:11
Speaker 1: Things that people really go through. So I love that we're touching on all these different topics. Fatima then versus now.

00:06:22
Speaker 2: Okay.

00:06:22
Speaker 1: When Fatima first entered the chat in season one, she was strong, she was clear, direct, but she was also navigating some instability. A lot of her strength was about protecting and even protecting herself in response to what was happening around her. Season ten, Fatima doesn't feel so reactive, does she. I don't know, but she also feels intentional. Pregnancy changes the lens, responsibility shifts, the posture and the stakes aren't just emotional, that's structural, that long term all right, we in and now Zach is not playing with me. It's about civility, and she's not proving herself anymore. I think she's beyond that moment and portraying this it requires a different type of discipline.

00:07:06
Speaker 2: All right, So let's get into season ten. Fatima. What she got going on? All right? What is season ten? Fatima? No? Longer entertaining. Hm, that's good. What is she no longer entertaining in season ten? Hmm?

00:07:33
Speaker 1: I don't know if Fatima has entertained a lot, you know. Hum, well, she definitely entertained no bs. You know, she has a family to worry about. She's not entertaining anything that is blocking or distracting her from her goals.

00:07:57
Speaker 2: She's in law school.

00:07:58
Speaker 1: She's focused, you know, she's focus on the family, focused on longevity and securing a legacy for her family.

00:08:07
Speaker 2: Yeah, I don't know.

00:08:08
Speaker 1: I don't entertain yourself for Teama never really entertained too much. That didn't stand for what she was already trying to go for.

00:08:17
Speaker 2: This is good.

00:08:18
Speaker 1: How has pregnancy shifted the way I approached her emotionally? So I've never carried a child, so I've had to talk to my friends, to our mothers to see how do you act now you know, when you're pregnant, or how do your hormones change and what shifts happen as you become a mother and your maternal instincts kick in. And I've taken those things kind of doing interviews in case studies on my friends who are mothers and asking them and I'll take that into the character. So you may see me a little more snappy, you know, without really thinking, because I can't help it. My hormones always placed. I'm pregnant, so that's one thing, but trying to think what else. She's a little more calculated.

00:09:03
Speaker 2: You know.

00:09:04
Speaker 1: Fatima has never been the one to just okay, that's a lie. She has been known to fly off the handle a few times and react. Yeah, but I feel like this season in her life, she's more calculated.

00:09:20
Speaker 2: She knows that she is carrying precious cargo, and.

00:09:23
Speaker 1: Zach reminds her of that all the time. Does her strength feel quieter? Now that's a good question too.

00:09:31
Speaker 2: Does her strength feel quieter? It's definitely quieter.

00:09:39
Speaker 1: She's not busting windows out of cars this season. I mean, last night, y'all saw she's back up to her old ways. Though she's about to go wreck somebody. But I feel like anything Fatima does is warranted. She don't mess with nobody who don't mess with her or the people she loves.

00:10:00
Speaker 2: I know that much.

00:10:01
Speaker 1: So she's only glad when she has to be. What surprised me about her restraint this season. I definitely have restraints with Cheyenne when she was all over my man. I didn't like that. Okay, Cheyenne, listen, we're gonna have to have a talk, all right. When Chyenne came to the law firm and she was her and Zach were having this moment and Andy and I walked in, I was like, all right, Andy gets your sister, you know. So that was a moment where I was like, Okay, I'm proud of you. You pulled the tissue out and said of the gun.

00:10:32
Speaker 2: That was good. That was good. That's growth.

00:10:35
Speaker 1: That's what we're talking about this season. Where do I see the biggest shift from.

00:10:39
Speaker 2: Season one to now?

00:10:42
Speaker 1: Man, the biggest shift that I see from season one to now is honestly the evolution of the characters. You know, where we are now, what we're doing, and it's I wouldn't say it's leaps and bounds because this time, it is not a very long time period that we've crossed from season one to season ten. Each season is just a few days, so sometimes a week if that. So we try to push the stories so that we can continue to show growth in different ways and keep the storylines moving. But I feel like from season one to now, I feel like the stories and characters are layered even more than they were before because we've had so much to build off of.

00:11:28
Speaker 2: And I think that would be the biggest thing.

00:11:31
Speaker 1: Let's talk higher stakes and shifting dynamics. What sends out to me about this season is the stakes, Honey.

00:11:38
Speaker 2: They are high. Okay.

00:11:39
Speaker 1: When life changes, the emotional temperature changes, and pregnancy it shifts the way relationships feel. The future feels closer, stibility feels urgent, and when you're building something long term, you notice that the small misalignments you kind of know us a little more right, not in a dramatic way, but in a more layered way. So there's something about trust this season that feels more intentional. It feels more aware and less impulsive. And Fatima isn't reacting to instability anymore. She's evaluating the sustainability. We like that for her, and.

00:12:11
Speaker 2: That's different, all right, Let's unpack that.

00:12:16
Speaker 1: How does pregnancy change the way Fatima handles attention? I think she has less bandwidth for attention, you know, like you already understand when you're pregnant.

00:12:28
Speaker 2: Everything that you go through the baby feels well.

00:12:30
Speaker 1: I don't know that, but I heard that from all my baby mothers.

00:12:38
Speaker 2: That's what they said.

00:12:39
Speaker 1: They said, whatever you feel in the baby go on fie, So you gotta be calm, okay.

00:12:42
Speaker 2: So I think Fatima tries to.

00:12:45
Speaker 1: She stands up for what she needs to stand up for and takes on what she needs to take on. But anything she does and she's like, I don't have a time or to bandwidth for that.

00:12:53
Speaker 2: And I love that for her boundaries. We like that. What does security mean to her? Now? It means everything. I feel like everything that Zach is doing, everything that he's done. We talked about trust.

00:13:05
Speaker 1: Zach is showing Fatima that he is ready for a family. And sometimes Fatima is the one doing stuff and Zach is the more stable when in the relationship that's crazy, but I feel like he has built a home for me to feel secure and stable to bring our child into. And that is something that I love about our relationship and where we are now because there was times and seasons child where I was like in the car bags y'all know, Fatima quick to pack them bags and get in the car and go all right. But yeah, now I feel like we have more security in our relationship. Does she move slower when something feels off. Yes, we talked about Fatima being more calculated. She's gonna think things through. She's not so quick to jump off the cliff. You know, there was a time where she was like, well, we got pop pop ready all the time, y'all remember that scene.

00:13:55
Speaker 2: I don't remember what season it was, but Fatima.

00:13:57
Speaker 1: Was getting Andy was getting jumped in the garage and team that have jumped out the car and pulled the gun out.

00:14:04
Speaker 2: You know.

00:14:05
Speaker 1: Now, I don't know if a Teama would do that. You know, she might think things too for a second because she could get hurt. So Andy, please don't get jumped and get no fights, all right, because I can't do nothing.

00:14:14
Speaker 2: Sist all right? I got you girl, We got you, sis. I'm joking.

00:14:20
Speaker 1: Are the conversations this season more measured? I do believe they are? And shout out to Cortney Glaude, our writer for this season of Sisters, and our director, our money, who allows us the time to really have these conversations and flush them out and make sure that we are getting the points and the things that we want to get across our audience.

00:14:41
Speaker 2: You, the women that watch the show.

00:14:43
Speaker 1: And the men who are supporting the beautiful women that watch this show. I think it also helps the conversations. We have, our conversations that are helping the family dynamic. For the viewers that are watching, it's helping relationships. I see so many people that are healing, so many relationships that are being mended by these conversations because they are more measured and we're thinking about.

00:15:03
Speaker 2: What you all and what we all as a culture are going through.

00:15:07
Speaker 1: And I think that's very important when it comes to the writing, to make sure that we are touching on things that are relatable so that we can see the change that we want to see. Where do I see the stakes affecting her posture the most? There's a lot going on with Andy and the threats that she's been getting. There's a lot going on with I guess you would say the things that kind of overlapped when Karen was pregnant and having our child. I think we're dealing with that right now. And the stakes are really high because the cases that Andy is working on right now are one cases that could change delivery outcomes for a lot of women if we win this case. And this is something that we see statistics Black women all across the nation and I'm sure in other countries are not given the proper health care or taken care of as much as our counterparts. So I'm excited and happy that we're touching on this, but it's also one of those things where this is like a high sec. Andy is like she's in over her head with this because one she has a friend that she almost lost due to pregnancy mortality, and then being the woman that has met with all these other women that dealt with the same thing, and then we go out and we have that we Got you Sis events where we're hearing women tell their stories saying I went through that too. I know so many of my friends who have stories whether it was them or someone in their family that went through that as well. So that's probably one of the things that definitely changed Fatima's posture, you know, because she was a little aloof trying to do the athlete thing and trying to do her own thing and not really paying attention to what ady was really working towards and understanding the state that were at place right there for.

00:17:04
Speaker 2: What she had going on.

00:17:06
Speaker 1: All right, let's talk about visibility and I and density. There is something that happens when you play a strong woman on television for years, people begin to associate you with her. Everywhere I go, I'm Fatima, I'm no longer Crystal. They see her boundaries and they assume that they are yours.

00:17:25
Speaker 2: They also see her.

00:17:26
Speaker 1: Firmness and assume that's how you operate all the time, and I've had to learn how to hold space for both the woman who plays with Tima and the woman who is still growing.

00:17:35
Speaker 2: God's visibility changes how people approach you.

00:17:38
Speaker 1: It changes how they even have the expectations for you, and it also changes how people assume how strong you are. And sometimes the strongest thing about you can honestly be the thing that keeps you the softest. All right, so let's see. Do people project Fatima onto me?

00:17:56
Speaker 2: Yes? All the time?

00:17:59
Speaker 1: They're like, but I know it's not your name, but hey, Fatima, I love it, y'all.

00:18:03
Speaker 2: Listen. First of all, I love.

00:18:05
Speaker 1: It because that means you're watching the show, and that means I still got a job, so thank you for that. But guys like, yes, but yeah, people do. They projected on me all the time, but they don't try to project because I do such a good job and I'm very intentional about making sure that what you see on Keeping Posa Sweetie shows you who Crystal is. We have the character and definitely have similarities for Fatima and Crystal for sure, But I think you guys know who Crystal is by now. Has playing her shaped how I carry myself publicly. I mean honestly, being on TV, I feel like it's shapes. It's gonna shape you anyway, because one, everybody's on you. You don't know if a camera's on you at all time, so you just have to be on point and on guard at all times, you know, because somebody's watching, somebody's gonna see you. It definitely has shaped how I am in public and how I carry myself one because I want to make sure that I'm constantly representing myself well. I'm constantly representing the brand well, and not only the brand, but also sister's brand, Tyler because everything you do, once you become a household name or become famous and you have your own brand, you're not only carrying yourself a certain way for yourself, it's for everybody else that comes along with that.

00:19:25
Speaker 2: So I never want anybody to be like, ooh, did.

00:19:27
Speaker 1: You see the girl from Tyler Berry Sisters out doing all this. No, Like every time you see me, I like to have a good time. I'm gonna have some fun. But at the end of the day, you're never gonna be able to say anything negative or I was out here acting crazy.

00:19:40
Speaker 2: We're not gonna do that.

00:19:41
Speaker 1: I'ma make sure everybody around me making it look good, all right. You know how your mama say, I don't come in here and embarrassing me. I ain't gonna bear as y'all, I promise. Has it made me more aware of my own boundaries?

00:19:55
Speaker 2: App absolutely.

00:19:58
Speaker 1: Be playing Fatima and being on this dynamic show has definitely made me more aware of my own boundaries, made me aware of when I need to say no, or when I need some me time, when I need to pour into Crystal. Because what I have signed up for is a It's a version of ministry, you know, And so I'm constantly pouring into other people. But I also have to make sure I'm very intentional about how I pour into myself so I can be the best Crystal for you guys and show up for Fatima, because if I'm not poured into myself, I can't show up to work and give you guys the best version of Fatima and give that character what she deserves as well. So definitely, boundaries are so important. And no is my favorite word.

00:20:40
Speaker 2: I love it. Don't ask me anything, nobody, No, that is my answer.

00:20:46
Speaker 1: I'm joking.

00:20:46
Speaker 2: I say yes to a lot. Here's why I'm doing this right now. Yes, absolutely, I'll do it.

00:20:56
Speaker 1: How do I maintain softness while portraying firmness?

00:21:02
Speaker 2: You know what there is? I feel like there's so much strength in a soft woman. It really is.

00:21:10
Speaker 1: And I think we've taken on this armor of like I gotta be so strong and I gotta be this. Yes, we do have to be those things, especially women bosses, all my women bosses. There is a part of the job that calls for us to be strong, but there also are parts of our lives where we can like take that off and be soft. What it's with your man, with your family, your friends. Find those moments or even with yourself, Honey, you don't have to be for anybody else. Find those moments to be soft. I know I do, because when I finish this, I want to get a massage, you.

00:21:38
Speaker 2: Know, like just a little soft girl area. I need that, all right, So.

00:21:42
Speaker 1: Yeah, maintain it at all times you don't have to. There's always a space for softness for women.

00:21:49
Speaker 2: That's what I believe.

00:21:50
Speaker 1: Where does Crystal end and Fatima begin? Crystal ends when our moni or cheese says and action and Fatima hold on yeah, and then Fatima begins then, and then she also ends when he goes. And that is a camera wrap on Christopher name Haseley, who plays Fatima. Once I'm off that camera, Fatima's done. When you see me when I'm in my room, or if you see me out in public.

00:22:19
Speaker 2: That's Crystal. I don't carry Fatima off the set. I can't. It's just too much.

00:22:24
Speaker 1: And I don't know if y'all want that, y'all want Fatima out here running around on the loose. I don't know if y'all like that, but yeah, definitely think there's a It's very important as an actor to be able to know how to separate yourself from your character, because it can get a little tricky if you don't. I think that's for every actor, especially when you're playing roles that are a little intense. You want to be able to have that cutoff or you're like, all right, I'm done. Now, let's talk about longevity and crafts. You know all about the longevity, guys, there is something subtle about stay in character for nearly ten seasons. You don't have to just perform her growth, you honestly experience it with her. Longevity requires consistency, and it requires discipline, and it requires awareness.

00:23:12
Speaker 2: You have to honor who she is while allowing her to evolve.

00:23:15
Speaker 1: And as I've grown personally, I've definitely understood her. There are traits that I feel closer to her and to me now than I did before. And there are moments that land differently now than they would have in season two.

00:23:29
Speaker 2: So let's unpack it, all right, you can stop it.

00:23:38
Speaker 1: What has nearly ten seasons taught me about discipline?

00:23:43
Speaker 2: Man? Everything?

00:23:45
Speaker 1: You know, I feel like ten seasons of anything, especially on a show, your territory enlargest. I've always prayed like God in large, my territory large it, and now I feel like it is definitely being enlarged and I'm being stretched. But with that comes disciplined because to be able to obtain and sustain anything, it requires discipline. So I've had to be very structured in my scheduling, structured in my rest, taking care of my body. And that comes with being on a TV show. You know, schedules change, things change, and we shoot so fast. I can't not take care of myself and live a disciplined life and be able to jump in and jump out of this character. So I would say, how I do one thing is how I do everything, and it discipline is everything to me. I wouldn't be where I am today if I wasn't disciplined. And I tell anybody that who's who has dreams, who wants to be successful, who wants to do anything that maybe that will take some work, which most things do. If you want to be great at it, you got to have discipline, point blank period. Have I seen Fatima grow in ways that surprise me? Yes, yes, Hayden and Fatima. The fact, when they wrote Hayden and Fatima working together with those NBA players, I said, I know you, Lyne, and I know the audience said the same thing because when I say arch Nemesis, listen, I could not stand Hayden, do you hear me? But I was really surprised about that, and I was surprised at the growth of Fatima to be able to put her pride aside and put any differences that they had aside to come together and work. And I loved my scenes with Hayden Moss, like I really, I was like, why did y'all change it? Because I really wanted to continue work with him because one he is funny as hey, he's funny, so funny. And then people like actually, they're like, I actually like this dynamic seeing them two work together because they've hated each other, they hated each other for so long. How do I keep her fresh for the audience? Honestly, I have no control over that. I have no control over keeping Fatima fresh. All I can do is do what Courtney Claude and what Tyler have written for all these years. It took me a long time not to judge the character. It took me a long time to just come in and get the script and be like, all right, bet, this is what we're doing, you know. So for me, it's really about doing performing what's on the script. Yeah, that's up to Courtney. Keep me fresh, Courtney, all right?

00:26:31
Speaker 2: For the audience?

00:26:33
Speaker 1: How do I stay present in character? How do I say present in a character people feel.

00:26:40
Speaker 2: They already know.

00:26:43
Speaker 1: One of the biggest things about acting is being present. So when I get to work, and I've clocked in as Fatima. I am that, And honestly, I think that she is a character everybody knows, whether.

00:26:58
Speaker 2: It's on TV or in their real life.

00:27:01
Speaker 1: Everybody knows a Fatima the girl that's gonna be right there with you, a girl is ready to fight whoever, whenever, wherever. I feel like we all know that that ride or die that's in our tribe. And the way I stay president is I just live in that world until we wrap. Has longevity changed how I approach acting as a whole.

00:27:28
Speaker 2: Yes, having longevity.

00:27:29
Speaker 1: And being on a show for ten seasons, I don't go into it in flight or flight mode.

00:27:36
Speaker 2: It's like, okay, I'm okay, I can breathe.

00:27:39
Speaker 1: You know. I don't go into it thinking that's the rug is gonna be ripped under me, out from under me at any moment.

00:27:46
Speaker 2: You know.

00:27:47
Speaker 1: Knowing that I've honored and steward over the ten seasons that I have had has given me the space to breathe. Because the industry that we're in, it can cause you to approach it in a way of like, oh my god, it's just going to be gone tomorrow. I gotta stay on things. And Yes, you do, because the reality of it is, yes, it could all end tomorrow. We hope it doesn't, but that's the reality of this industry. So I would say longevity has definitely helped me move with a little more ease, confidence and trust and just knowing that whatever it's for me is going to be for me, and we're in ten seasons and if it's God's will, we'll have ten more or twenty more or have a long general hospital and days of our lives not have been going.

00:28:33
Speaker 2: We can go that long too. I would love that.

00:28:39
Speaker 1: We Got You Sis and real life impact. One thing I appreciate about Sisters is that it doesn't stop when the credits roll. We Got You Sis wasn't about just extending the brand. It was about extending the conversation. The show surfaces ambition, heartbreak, boundaries, friendship, tension, delayed timelines, career pressure, and real life women we're navigating at all, we really are and listening to women in those spaces it really changed me. It deepened my awareness. It reminded me that representation is not casual.

00:29:12
Speaker 2: It really does matter.

00:29:13
Speaker 1: And sometimes leadership it looks like listening, It honestly does. All right, let me stop that, all right? What have women shared that have stayed with me? What have women shared that stayed with me? Honestly, one of the most memorable moments with a fan interaction was a man. He came up to me and said, it's because of you that I talked to my mom and sisters every Wednesday night. And I said what and he said yes, he said, my sister got me watching the show, he said, And we didn't really talk like that, and now because of the show, we sit down every Wednesday and we recap and talk about what happened on Sisters.

00:29:59
Speaker 2: And I was like, Wow, in that.

00:30:01
Speaker 1: Moment, I realize that it is bigger than me. It's bigger than all of us on the show. This is a community, like we're entire. Sisters is a whole community. It has its own tribe, and it's bigger than just the people that are on TV and understanding the lives that we touch. There have been so many women that have come up and said, man, like I am Fatima, I'm that rid of Die girl. But sometimes I don't feel like I'm poured into and sometimes I feel like I'm just giving and giving giving, I'm not getting back and I see myself so in you so much, or my husband or my boyfriend was locked up and now he's out, and I'm trying to figure out how to live this life with him being out now and adjusting to that, and the fact that Fatima is that outlet and the mirror for so many of those women. It's absolutely beautiful to know that our characters are letting them know that they're not alone and we're bringing families together.

00:30:54
Speaker 2: That's super dope.

00:30:57
Speaker 1: How has listening shaped how I portray a certain moments?

00:31:01
Speaker 2: Listening is everything.

00:31:02
Speaker 1: I think therapy taught me to listen and not react. And when it comes to the we got used siss events that we do actually sitting down face to face with these women that watch us week after week, it's.

00:31:17
Speaker 2: Something about just listening.

00:31:18
Speaker 1: Sometimes they just need a soft landing place, you know, like a lot of us do. And to be that for them is a beautiful moment. And everybody is not looking for a response. Sometimes it's like I just need to get that out, you know, and to be that for them, I absolutely love it. Why do women resonate so deeply with these dynamics? Honestly, I think women resonate with these dynamics and these activations because a lot of times they're the ones carrying everything that the ones that are carrying their friends are carrying, their relationships, are carrying their families, and a lot of times they don't have anybody to really talk to you.

00:31:58
Speaker 2: So when they can come to these events, we.

00:32:00
Speaker 1: Have nail salones, we do spies and workout sessions, wellness, all the things, and to see them come in and have a moment just for themselves.

00:32:09
Speaker 2: Sometimes they don't get that. And we're ambitious.

00:32:13
Speaker 1: We have all these goals and we're just running and trying to succeed at everything that we want to do.

00:32:17
Speaker 2: That oftentimes we don't take time for ourselves because we're carrying so much. So I love that when they can come to these events, they're actually able to sit.

00:32:27
Speaker 1: Down, be heard, They're able to be seen, and sometimes you need to feel seen as well. So I feel like everything that we got usis is doing at these events is giving black women everything they need, and that's why they resonate with it so much. What responsibility comes with representing their stories, it's a huge responsibility, it really is, and it's an honor to be able to tell these stories and I don't take it lightly. Every time I get a new script, I look at different ways to make sure that I'm telling the story. Whether it's the emotion that I'm giving or being nonchalant about something, whatever energy and emotional I need to bring to that, I want to make sure that I'm giving it what it needs so that the woman or the man whoever's watching the other side of the screen feels it, you know. So the responsibility that comes with it, it's a.

00:33:21
Speaker 2: Big one, it really is.

00:33:22
Speaker 1: And there's not a lot of shows on television that are telling our stories, so that makes it even more important and powerful.

00:33:34
Speaker 2: Why it's safe space.

00:33:35
Speaker 1: Important beyond television, it's so important people forget about community, if they forget about talking to one another.

00:33:42
Speaker 2: We're on our phones all day long.

00:33:44
Speaker 1: We're talking, we're just stating, typeing and watching videos, and human interaction is so important. So I think that beyond the television, keeping these conversations going, whether it's with your girlfriends or coming to a we Got you Sis event, or talking to your man or whoever, or journaling about it, whatever the case may be, it's something about keeping this going on beyond TV so that we can continue to see change in our community and culture. Let's talk about personal growth. Season ten reminded me that maturity is not loud. It's intentional, and protecting your peace requires discipline. Growth requires awareness, and keeping it positive doesn't mean that you are ignoring the tension.

00:34:23
Speaker 2: It means handling it with clarity.

00:34:25
Speaker 1: As much as this season is about Fatima's evolution, is also about mine, and we are still both becoming and I love that for us.

00:34:33
Speaker 2: What did this season teach me personally?

00:34:39
Speaker 1: This season taught me that I have to continue to be mindful about what I have going on in my life. It taught me to be more disciplined. It taught me to listen more. We talked about that. It taught me to listen more. And it taught me to steward over what you've been giving before asking for more. That's what this season has taught me. What version of myself am I shedding that is really good? My team might shake their head, but I'm trying. I'm trying to let go of like being so like controlling.

00:35:26
Speaker 2: They're like, I'm trying. It's like a little bit came up. I'm trying to say goodbye. All right. What does protection look like in real life. Man, Ooh, that's good. Protection in real life looks like being seen.

00:35:49
Speaker 1: It feels like being heard, It feels like support, It feels like action behind the words. It feels like what else does protection?

00:36:10
Speaker 2: I mean? It feels like being cared for.

00:36:12
Speaker 1: It feels like somebody has your back, and if I go here, I know I'm not going alone. That's what protection feels like to me. What does becoming look like for me? Right now?

00:36:24
Speaker 2: Wow?

00:36:26
Speaker 1: I have so many things going on in this season of my life, building haircare brand, I am still doing the podcast, ownership for a soccer team. It's so many different things that I'm doing and so many more things I want to do as an entrepreneur, and understanding that every.

00:36:49
Speaker 2: Month when you're an entrepreneur. Let me explain something to you.

00:36:52
Speaker 1: When you're an entrepreneur, one month can be great and the next month can be like, Lord, where is the help?

00:36:59
Speaker 2: Okay? And what have I gotten myself into?

00:37:03
Speaker 1: But what I am learning is you take those those down months where you're like, all right, y'all, we got to regroup and figure this out. You take those moments and you learn from it and figure out how not to get back in that position.

00:37:16
Speaker 2: And as i am doing.

00:37:18
Speaker 1: This, I am failing as I'm growing and as I'm becoming, and I'm learning the lessons as I'm becoming, And I love it because as I'm learning it, I'm able to teach the next person coming up. So I'm not just keeping all these lessons to myself. I'm able to take these lessons and share them with the other young women that are coming behind me and young men that are coming behind me. So I am. Yeah, I'm excited about who I'm becoming. Discipline, discipline, discipline, discipline. I cannot hone that in and drill that in any more than I am. But the biggest thing that I think people miss when it comes to getting to where you want to get to and who you want to be come is the discipline.

00:38:02
Speaker 2: It is a structure, and it's.

00:38:04
Speaker 1: That ambition that you have to have that other people don't have, and that's how you get to where you want to get.

00:38:09
Speaker 2: So, yeah, that's what becoming looks like for me right now.

00:38:13
Speaker 1: Wow, ten seasons later, and I understand something differently. Growth isn't dramatic, it's layered. Strength isn't always loud, it's intentional and sisterhood isn't about staying the same, It's about growing. Honestly, thank you guys so much for being with us on this journey. Make sure you guys watch This's every Wednesday on beet at nine A Central, and be sure to subscribe and share this episode with someone who needs it. And if you ever need some advice or positivity and want to share what you're going through with us, email us at Keep It Positive Outcomes at gmail dot com. And it's always stay blessed, stay encouraged, and in the meantime in between time, y'all already know what to do.

00:38:57
Speaker 2: Keep it Positive CDs. See y'all next time.