What God Has For You Is For You w/ Terri J. Vaughn

00:00:00
Speaker 1: Calling all my sweeties to the forefront. I'm your host, Christopher, and this is to keep it positive. Sweetie show. Can we just say thank you Jesus? That was not loud enough. Can we say thank you Jesus? There we go listen. I was I had to travel to New York yesterday and I was like on the first flight out to get back so I could hear Pastor say our preach last night.

00:00:27
Speaker 2: And I get on the plane and this woman was.

00:00:30
Speaker 1: I'm talking about saying a very fervent prayer.

00:00:32
Speaker 2: She was God.

00:00:34
Speaker 1: And I looked over. She's on my road, and I said, we're gonna be all right. We're gonna make it. Because it was storms all over and since January the year has been yearing. Can we all agree on that?

00:00:45
Speaker 2: And I said, Lord, if there's a delay, I'm.

00:00:48
Speaker 1: Gonna thank you for the delay because I just want to make it there safe, whatever it is. And because I used to get agitated, and I felt that agitation creeping in.

00:00:56
Speaker 2: After two hours sitting on the ground.

00:00:57
Speaker 1: We finally get in the air and we're almost to it. And so I gone to the bathroom on the plane change clothes. I was gonna hit the ground running and the pilot comes on the intercomm and says, what we're gonna be in a thirty minute holding pattern in the air. So I hit my team up and I said, y'all, we're not gonna make it, and shout out to Big West, one of my managers. Big fella, y'all don't put us in church jail. But he bootlegged the sermons so I could watch it because that's how thirsty I am for the word. And I know if you're here today, it's because you're also thirsty for the word. Shout out to that praying woman who was praying like a grandmother on that plane. We made it safely and I still got the word. But it also goes to show who's on your role. You know what I'm saying. That woman was on my row, and I want you to always be cognizant of the people on your role in your life. Are they praying for you? Are they there for you? Are y'all praying to the same God? You know what I'm saying, Because there's a difference. And without further ado, I want to welcome one of my sisters in Christ. She is absolutely amazing. You may remember her as Levita Alise Jenkins on The Steve Harvey Show, or you may know her from her new hit show on Netflix, Miss Governor, Ladies, put it together, put your hands together for my sister, Miss Terry Vaughn.

00:02:13
Speaker 3: Yes, hey y'all.

00:02:31
Speaker 4: U, thank y'all. Hey, Joss, all.

00:02:38
Speaker 2: Right, since it is so good to be here with you.

00:02:40
Speaker 1: When we were going over people that I could interview for this moment, and hands down, you were the one. And it was because of our recent conversations that I knew I needed to sit down with you.

00:02:51
Speaker 2: Terry and I, well, we met a lot.

00:02:53
Speaker 1: We kind of met a long time ago. I just reminded her that in twenty ten we were in a short film called This Time duracted by Matthew Cherry, and I had one line. So I'm like, this kid trying to get into the movie industry and he's a kid making short films and here's the Terry Vine in this movie. And I found the cover art for it and I was like, do you remember this?

00:03:15
Speaker 2: And she was like, oh my gosh. I had one line. Your table is ready and here we are and look at her now right.

00:03:25
Speaker 3: God is good.

00:03:26
Speaker 1: But recently we were at a Sunday brunch at Tyler Perry's house. And Tyler does these brunches where we screened what he's the latest project that he's worked on. And this particular Sunday, we were screening the first episode of your show, mis Governor. And when I tell you, Tyler saw it and I saw it as well. But Terry was so full in that moment, and it was so beautiful to see. And in that moment, Tyler looked at me and he goes, that was you when sisters came out and he said, y'all need to talk, and you put it off for a little while and saying we need to talk, and then finally you.

00:04:01
Speaker 4: Like, I need to call you.

00:04:03
Speaker 1: And we had this beautiful conversation and I want to start with that because we talk about the journey. Don't you start?

00:04:10
Speaker 4: I know you see I'm looking around. I'm like, y'all don't have tissue up here. I'm sorry. It's just that kind of party. I was telling her about stage. I've been on the verge of crind all day. I don't know what it is. I do know what it is. It's grateful.

00:04:21
Speaker 1: Yeah, y'all might need to bring the clean nex.

00:04:23
Speaker 4: Yeah, just yes.

00:04:26
Speaker 1: But in that conversation. I thought it was so beautiful, how vulnerable you were to have started off on this hit show. Everyone watched The Steve Harvey Show, and we're going to get to the journey, but to where you are now. It was like a completely new ground for you, and you're like, how do I navigate this? Let us know where you were in that moment.

00:04:47
Speaker 4: So, first of all, thank you for choosing me. Okay, it's always nice to be chosen. Yeah, So in that moment, I was in the midst of a lot of press for the new show for MS. Governor, and it was everything was just so back to back to back to back to back. And yes, I've been in this business for a really long time. You guys have been in this business for thirty years. But yet though I've been pitching my own show for twenty years, say that again. I've been pitching my own show for twenty years. Now it is upon me and I have that show.

00:05:33
Speaker 1: Thank you take it in.

00:05:35
Speaker 4: And it was it was a bit overwhelming, and I have several conversations with God, and I know why it took the twenty years, because feeling all the things that come with being in this position. I wouldn't have been ready. I wouldn't have been ready. I would have messed it up. I would have freaked out or something. And now is the time, and I'm like just looking for a little direction or guidance because I don't want to mess up the moment, right I don't want to because every everything just got different. The people that call, the people that don't call, the things being said, everything changed and I'm still the same person though I haven't changed. Everything is still. So I'm trying to navigate how to change, to move in all the newness of it without losing myself, losing my connection to my tribe, my real friends, my village, and not getting caught up in the newness, the new calls, the new, you know. And so I just was like talking to Crystal about how she navigated when she first got her show, and now everything is on her, the light is on her, the calls are on her, and just make it because it's a huge responsibility. You are responsible for you know a lot of people. You're the lead of the cast, so kind of your energy and how you move affects everybody. And I'm a mama bear, so I'm super protective. So I want to protect my cast I want to make sure I'm standing up for them, making sure I'm asking, you know, that they get the things that I you know, I'm just trying to be fair. We're libors too, so I'm always balancing this scale. So I want, you know, everybody to be treated fairly and all the things. So I just wanted to talk to her and ask her how she navigated when she first plopped into it, because when you PLoP into it, it just like everything happens, and you want that one it's not a build up. And so I was in the in the midst of everything rushing at me, and I was like, I need to I need to pause, and I need to talk to somebody, And Crystal talked to me and told me, you know, just share things that she did to stay focused and grounded. And you know, I'm very spiritual and you know, obviously getting in my prayers and my meditation. So I'm like, I know who I am. I know I'm grounded, but I also I have to operate in a space that doesn't necessarily move or act like me sometimes and not wanting to lose me, but still have to navigate through it, you know. So it was just nice to hear somebody else's perspective, somebody that I could trust, because you can't really have these kind of conversations with everyone. So it was just beautiful that she opened up and we had a really great conversation.

00:08:51
Speaker 1: I love that. And what I think is so beautiful about that about sisterhood is that you do have a village and your tribe is so important to make sure that you can have those moments where you say, hey'sis I am struggling with this? Am I ready for this? Because a lot of times we've gone through the twenty years you know whatever that looks like. It may not be twenty years for everyone, but you go through it and then you get to the moment, and then you start second guessing everything that God has put in your toolbox to make you ready for that moment. Has anybody ever done it self sabotages in the building?

00:09:20
Speaker 4: Yeah, yes, right.

00:09:22
Speaker 1: I'm a big self sabotager, like I can get in my own way, and I think a lot of us do that. But what I thought was so beautiful is that you knew that you could call you know, And I think that's so important to be someone that your girl can call or if you have a guy friend that they can call and say, Hey, I'm struggling with this and this is the position that I'm in.

00:09:40
Speaker 2: But I want to do right by it and steward over it.

00:09:43
Speaker 1: How do I do that? And a lot of times we forget that, like we are ready for that moment, yeah you know, and yeah, so I want to go back to when you first started. Let's walk to the ti we're going to we started. It's like a movie where they started the ending. Then we're going to go back to the beginning. We're gonna mind so we can go back to the be and tell us about that journey and like the ups and downs and ebbs and flows of that. Because you started off with Steve Harvey Show, your big break.

00:10:06
Speaker 4: Steve Harvey Show was definitely my big break I had. I'm from San Francisco. I grew up in the Bay Area. Yes, Bay love me, yep. And I was living in LA for about five years, just you know, doing the actor thing, background work, waiting tables, worked at Benetton, you know Benetton, and so the people are like, what's Benette, Yes, the colors of Benetta. I know, that's so long ago. Okay anyway, So, you know, just the life of a starving actor and just auditioning getting parts, and finally this audition came through for The Steve Harvey Show. And when I remember getting when I got that audition and I read the material, I was like, oh my gosh, she's so fun. I know her.

00:10:56
Speaker 1: It was like so easy.

00:10:58
Speaker 4: I was like, so I did the audition, got call back and call back and call back and call back, and it was like it was definitely the easiest up to that point, the easiest audition that I had ever had. It just felt easy. It felt right. She fit on me and in me because I knew her, yeah, and I really cared about her. We could tell I really cared about her. And so finally I got a call from my agents and you guys, so when you're when you're testing for a series like that and you're getting your callbacks over and over, the last audition you go in for is with the directors and the producers and the networks, so it's like tons of people in you and you have to perform like you always have. And to me, that was my worst audition out of the whole journey of my Levita auditioning was the last one because at that point, and I don't even know if it still happens like this now, but when you do your last test read, they give you your deal, what your deal will be if you get this, You're going to get this many episodes, this much money. So now I have all this information. Right before, I didn't have that information, so I was just free. So now I'm like, oh, I got it. I can't make this much money, Like I've never seen that much money. So now I got all these other things in my mind instead of staying focused just on her, so I kicked into my training. I was like, nope, focus on her. The only thing that matters is the role. The only thing that matters is the role. But and I went in and I just felt like it wasn't my strongest audition. I just felt like it wasn't my strongest. So I go home and I get a call from my agents and they're like, so, how to go? And I was like, oh, it was okay. I don't think it was my best, but I feel good. And they were like, well, you must have did something because you got the park And I just screamed in my little one bedroom apartment, fell on my knees and just cried. I just the tears, tears, tears. Why the phone was on the floor by this time, and I'm just on the middle of the floor crying because you know, it's something that work. Yeah, so hard to work.

00:13:31
Speaker 3: Yeah.

00:13:31
Speaker 4: Yeah. And in our business, we're used to hearing no.

00:13:40
Speaker 1: Yes all the time.

00:13:43
Speaker 4: We get up every day to hear no, literally literally every day. But we still keep going because we know we are in line with our purpose and we keep going. We keep showing up for the nose, but still keep going and to finally get that yes, it's it's just amazing. It's amazing.

00:14:06
Speaker 1: So you talked about like you get the deal and you're like, oh my goodness, I'm gonna be making this much money.

00:14:10
Speaker 4: Yeah.

00:14:11
Speaker 1: A lot of time, is it running to lack of financial literacy?

00:14:15
Speaker 4: Yes?

00:14:16
Speaker 1: What were some of those moments where you were like, Okay, I got this money and.

00:14:20
Speaker 4: What now I was I'm cheap. I was cheap. I didn't do anything. I was like, oh no, I got that this, I gotta keep this. Nobody gonna take this. So you know, I didn't really definitely didn't have any financial literacy. I just was responsible I've always been a responsible person, so I didn't really splur or spend a lot. I know how to live in my means. I had been acting for a while, so I knew that jobs, you know, come far and in between. So when you are working, you need to save safe, safe for those long months when you're not working, you got to live off of that money. So it's you know, it's it's different than people may really think. So I didn't. I didn't. I didn't mess up my money. I was able to not ever have to go back and get another job outside of our business. Yes, so that was a blessing. But with the lack of financial knowledge, there are things I could have done with that money that would have been smart to set me up better for future. And I didn't know that. I was just in a bank account.

00:15:30
Speaker 1: I'm just sitting, just sitting, and that's not good.

00:15:33
Speaker 4: Yeah.

00:15:33
Speaker 1: Yeah, Steve Harvey Show had an amazing run. And like you said, the jobs come far and few between. What was that transition like, because we hear about like athletes, when what they go through when the basketball is done, how do they like navigate life? What was that transition like when you guys got the call saying, hey, this is the last season, that last day on the show, and then now it's like, okay, what do I do next?

00:15:55
Speaker 4: So for me, I was like, oh, the show was in the that's okay, I'll get another show. I'll just get another show. You know, Lavita's popular, people like her, people like me. I'll get another job, crickets, so it you know, it's just just go back to the grind. But again, you know, I have been working, so i'd save my money. I was actually married at this time, had my first son. The last year of the Steve Harvey Show, I was pregnant and so I had time, and then eventually I did went on to Soul Food. Thank God for Felicia Henderson, who because you know, because of the role of Levita, she was very comical and all the things that she was which I loved, I didn't. I still didn't as an actress. I didn't want to just be typecast as that kind of character. So I'll aways Thankfulicia Henderson for giving me that job on Soul Food, which was totally different than Levita. She was an executive, you know, it was she was just a totally different character on a drama series. So that was a blessing. And I think you just have to stay true to yourself and just focus and the things will come. You know, I didn't panic. I just stayed the course. Stay the course.

00:17:29
Speaker 1: That is so good. So you built a family. You have three beautiful children, Yes I do.

00:17:34
Speaker 3: You're married.

00:17:35
Speaker 1: What was that building of the family life for you? Because you did you take a little time off between soul food and like really to really hone it on your family.

00:17:45
Speaker 4: No, so not really. I didn't necessarily need to purposely take time off. It's in our business. We just have time off. Yes, But you know, I learned a long time ago, and I'm really thank you for this message from one of my early acting instructors. She always told us to never put our personal lives on hold for the business. She said, never put your personal lives on hold for the business, because the business fluctuates and it doesn't love anyone. It's not protecting you. It's just the business. So you have to make sure that you're living your life. And also, just as an artist, it's important to live your life because it makes you a better artist because you're experiencing life. So, yes, I knew what it was like to get married. I knew what it was like to have a baby. I knew what it was like to do these new different things because I'm living my life and now I can put those things into the characters that I play. Yes, and so yeah, that's one thing I definitely tell all the aspiring actors, Well.

00:18:56
Speaker 2: Where were you when I started my career?

00:18:58
Speaker 4: Girl a lot, I'm telling you now, but you do live your life, You travel, you do things.

00:19:04
Speaker 1: Yeah, I live, but I've put off the family, you know, because on purpose. Yeah, because I didn't know if I you know, like you having this in you. I don't know if you guys like this, but you have in your mind, like I don't have time to take off to have a child. And it wasn't even until this year seeing my castmate kJ Smith, ye be pregnant work while you know how we work, like we shoot fast and tile Fair studios. And it was in that moment where I actually saw where I was like, wait, I could do this, but now it's like can I do this? You know? So going to the doctor trying to find out if I can even carry, you know, because I put my life on hold, and I have that story.

00:19:41
Speaker 4: So many of my peers have that story, and so yeah, it is important because you can. I mean, there are no limits to what God, God is gonna do. And if God blesses you with a family and it's not gonna stop you right doing, you'll still you can do both. Yes, I always tell you can do both. You can have a full family life and a full, beautiful, prosperous career because I love them both equally too, I couldn't. I love what we do. I love it for many reasons. The stories we get to tell, the images we get to represent. I love that my daughter can turn on a television and see people that look like her, that talk like her. That's really important. That my grandmother, who's ninety five, she can turn on something and you know it resembles her. That's important. Yes, And for me in particular, I love to bring comedy into people's lives on purpose, because there's so much trauma and heaviness in the world globally, not to mention into our individual lives the things that people are dealing with. So if I can be a part of bringing some joy, some life, even for thirty minutes of your day where you just laugh and forget about that be all or whatever, and you've forgotten. You're laughing, and you're laughing and you get those endorphins and you have some sunshine for thirty minutes. That's good, that's good stuff. And then life is still there. It's fun. They come back next week and watch it thirty more minutes and laugh again. But that's important to me, And it's just important to me as I'm there for my kids, and you know, and God gave me, You'll give you the kids that fit your life. You don't have to fit their life. They fit your lime on.

00:21:39
Speaker 1: She reaches it to yourself because she's reaching to me.

00:21:44
Speaker 2: Okay, oh man.

00:21:46
Speaker 3: That's good.

00:21:46
Speaker 1: Yeah, because I think a lot of times for me at my career started late in life. You know, my dream career started late in life. So I was talking to Sarah about this Thursday night. She was like, Chrystal, are you resting? When do you have time to rest? How are you bound? And she's like, do you ever feel like feel like you're missing out or like if you don't take if you take a break, that you're going to miss out in a moment because you have to strike while the iron is hot. And I was like, wow, yeah, I have had those moments, yeah, for sure, but I feel like now I'm more intentional about Okay, I have to pencil in the rest. You know, God, you have made my plate very full, and I'm grateful because this is what I asked for. But now I have to intentionally schedule in. Okay, these days I'm going to go on vacation or Okay, I can't do it because sometimes my team will be like, all right, we get in on this day and we're gonna shoot a podcast episode on this day as soon as we get back. I'm like, I can't do that. I know my limits now, very good, and I love y'all for obliging. Now that's very good.

00:22:42
Speaker 4: You have to listen to yourself. Yeah, you have to trust your instincts. That's number one. That's God talking, that's your intuition. That's the connection. It's not the talk and chatter outside of you, it's the talk inside.

00:22:56
Speaker 2: Yes, that's so true. Yeah, it's funny.

00:22:59
Speaker 1: I went to the doctor probably two weeks ago, a fertility doctor and a guy who i'd only met one time through ryhanda our costume designer, had sent me a DM and he said, hey, God gave me a word for you give me a call. And I was like, okay, we've met like one time. What word did God give you for me? So I said, hey, I'll be free at this time. Just called me. So I was journaling that morning, and I was journaling about God protecting me and covering my womb all these different things and asking God to give me the desires of his heart. I was like, God, whatever you want from me, give it to me, and give me the discernment to know what you don't desire for me. So as soon as I put the pencil down, the guy calls me and he told me the first part of it and he said, yeah, I was wrestling with this and he said, cause I don't know you like that. And then he's like, but then this morning I woke up and he gave me an addendum to the word and I was like, really, what's that? And he said, expect a miracle. And y'all, when I tell you, I just started bawling because I'm forty two years old, and I got look you, I started bawling crying, and I said, you have no idea. I was like, I just went to the doctor and I'm in my word. I'm reading about Sarah and Abraham, and my pastor, Pastor Deare Sinius, always tells us the Bible still applies. You're just the character now, you know. So replace Sarah's name with Crystal, you know, or whoever is out there wanting a child. And I said, you don't know what I just wrote down in my journal and he was like what. And I was like, I just went to the fertility doctor and I said, I got a great report back. But I was asking God to protect my womb. I was like, thank you for protecting my family, but protect my womb. I said, and let it happen in your time, in your way, because I want to do it in the proper order. And I was like, this is just like that's how quick God answers like I literally had put the pen down and I was showing it to Chornelle our hairstyles this morning. I said, do you see this wet drop on the page? I said, that was my tears and she goes, oh, my goodness. And when you really really get into your word and really have that intimate and cultivate that into a relationship with God, he literally answers, how I call hey, Terry, Yes, Crystal that's how fast God will answer you. And it keeps showing up, so you're absolutely right, Yeah, it'll happen. In God's simon, It's going to be perfect for you. Yes, thank you. I received that, and I hope you guys too. Were there ever any moments in this journey where your faith was tested where you're like, all right, Lord, now things are moving in that twenty years wherever moments where you were like, all.

00:25:30
Speaker 4: Right, absolutely in the thirty years, yes, wow, Absolutely. There's been several times when I was like, because because my entry into this career wasn't something that that I pursued. It was something that was offered to me. Because I was going to school for advertising. I thought I was going to work in the advertising agency, and I was invited to participate in this pageant. One of the judges of a pageant with a producer of a play that they were casting the tour of the country, and he asked me if I want to audition for his play. So I had never pursued it just on my own. It was offerings that I just kept saying yes to. And so in those many, many times where it has been dark moments when I felt like God this industry is not for me. I'm not why am I here? What am I doing? I didn't even ask to be here, So this is me talking to God. I was like, I didn't even ask to be here, so you brought me here. So you need to fix it. You need to make something happen because I didn't ask to be here. I could have been at Grades Advertising in San Francisco. And so that conversation has happened several times along this journey because it's tough, and I'm telling you, the only thing that keeps me going and actually joyful and fulfilled in going is because I know I'm living in my purpose. I know it. I know it. That's the only way I kept going with pitching in my own show for twenty years because even though everybody kept telling me no for twenty years, I kept feeling the yes on the inside. I kept feeling it. So I'm like, I'm just gonna listen to that and I'm just gonna keep going. They could keep telling me no because they just don't know. But I know there's a yes inside.

00:27:36
Speaker 1: Yeah, Loo, It's good. I love that I know there's a yes inside. How many of you all can resonate with it, right, if you don't have to be in the entertainment industry to realize, wait, this is what I'm supposed to be doing. And I think a lot of times we talked about this backstage, how often and how quickly we give up.

00:27:54
Speaker 2: And I think sometimes, like you said, that.

00:27:56
Speaker 1: Giving up is and it's actually an indication that you may not be running after your purpose. Because if it's something that you are supposed to be doing, we keep going no after no, after no after no, because we know there's a yes, you know what I'm saying, Yes, come on, that's right, I'm preaching you all, But no, there is.

00:28:22
Speaker 2: And I think a lot of people give up way too soon.

00:28:25
Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah they do. I mean, and like you said, it's whatever you want to do in life. And again, you know, even our loved ones, people that really love us and care about us, they give us guidance and advice from their best, yes, from their best, but my yes inside of me is not in them, so they don't know. They're just they don't give me advice based on their experience, their life, their limitations of what they think can happen. And they are they're being you know, loving and think they're being supportive. But who am I gonna trust to? You know, am I gonna listen? Because my mom says she's never done this, like this is crazy. You got to get a job. You need to go do this, you need so I stop and go get a job. Because my mom doesn't feel that burning yes inside of me, Terry, No, I still got to follow my yes. So sometimes it's really scary because you're you feel like you're alone, and you are. You're alone with your alone because it's yours alone, because it's yours alone. It's not for my mom, it's not for my sister, it's not for them. This is mine. And because I followed what was mine. Look what I get to do and who I get to talk to and how I get to live and y'all get to laugh. And you know, if I didn't do that, there wouldn't be the things. There wouldn't have been a Levita, there wouldn't be a misk, you know, if I didn't listen to that burning yes yes.

00:30:09
Speaker 1: Oh my goodness, Oh.

00:30:14
Speaker 4: This is good.

00:30:16
Speaker 1: I love it. Now you are in a place now where you're starting your own production company, TJV Enterprising Enterprise Enterprise y'all.

00:30:26
Speaker 2: That means multiple things happening.

00:30:29
Speaker 4: Okay, I love it, Yes, tell us about that.

00:30:32
Speaker 1: What else do you have going on?

00:30:34
Speaker 3: So?

00:30:34
Speaker 4: You know, we of course our show mis Governor on Netflix, but we have more shows that I am actively pitching. It never stops, it never, oh lord, it never stops. Uh. So we're doing that. Yeah, we're just creating, you know, I don't I don't know. I have a slate of things that I want to do. It's like, I'm sure you do. Like the list is long, Yes, so you grab about three at one time and trying to pursue the first three. See what happened? So yeah, So we have movies and television series. I'm just really inspired to tell stories that feature women of color in leading roles and comedic roles. And you know, because a lot of times we're the girlfriend of somebody, or the neighbor or the dad. I'm like, nope, I want our stuff to be us telling these stories from our own mouth. Come on, laughing at ourselves and all of our you know, our flaws and all. You know, we're not perfect, but that's what makes the world so great and interesting. And I want to be able to feature women of color in those leading roles. So all of our projects pretty much are that I love it.

00:31:52
Speaker 1: I love it like you. I'm getting more into the producer side of things.

00:31:55
Speaker 4: Yes, I was.

00:31:56
Speaker 1: Having a conversation with my friend Woody maclain from Hour and Yeah shut Out with he and he's working on something.

00:32:03
Speaker 2: He's been public about it. He's working on a rom com and.

00:32:06
Speaker 1: He had done a podcast and he broke down crime because he has twins on the way and he was like, I don't want my daughters to see me in that light as the character that I'm playing. And I felt him in that moment because I want to see different content that shines a different light on us, you know. And in that moment, he was like, y'all want you to epe this with me? And I was like, I bet I'm down, but I'll say it's crazy you're calling me because I want to start creating the content that I want to see. It's only so much I want to see something different then make it, you know. So I love that you're doing that. Yes, And that's the path that I'm forging next as well.

00:32:42
Speaker 4: So yeah, we have to It's very important and it's for us, and that's the thing. It's all purposeful, right, It's a part of my ministry is to bring this to y'all. I want you to be filled with joy. I want you to I want you to think and be challenged and reconsider or whatever it is that you know is needed in the moment. I want to create images that look like you, that are helping you through that navigate. I just I think it's really important and I totally believe that laughter is healing. Yes, it is healing for your soul to laugh. Literally, it's medicine.

00:33:26
Speaker 1: It is speaking of lazard medicine. MS Governor is a show that have you guys watched mis Governor on Netflix? Yes, it will have you cackling.

00:33:36
Speaker 2: Okay, Yeah, What was the inspiration behind it?

00:33:40
Speaker 1: How did it feel when you.

00:33:41
Speaker 2: Saw the ratings on Netflix all the things?

00:33:44
Speaker 4: So the inspiration actually started about eight years ago. My girlfriend London Breed became the first black Hey Bay Area, became the first black female mayor of the city of San Francisco, Go and the city with bananas. It was crazy, so much pushback and drama she got being in that position, and they did so many things that she had to like jump through these hoops and do a special election and all the things, and she still ended up winning. And when I watched my sister do that, like and this is a girl from the hood, Like we grew up in the hood, and I'm watching her as she's climbing the political chain and she became the mayor of one of the richest cities in the nation, the first black woman to do that. I was inspired. Yeah, and so the character of Antoinette, and Antoinette is named after one of my childhood friends. So I always pull from my real life my stories. So the character of Antoinette was inspired by London's win for the mayor of San Francisco. And of course, you know, we changed the story to be getting more saucy and made it south and made a governor instead of mayor and all the things. But that's where the inspiration came from. So that's been like seven years in the works of pitching, restructuring, partnering, meeting and finally landed with our silent ferry and that yes and so yes. So now it's on Netflix. And you know, I love my cast. I have an amazing cast. These are so funny and lovely, great human beings and talented and we get to tell these stories and get to play with each other. And the ratings were great, so guys, please keep watching. We are hoping to get a second season, so please watch it, watch it, watch it. Spread the words so we can get that second season.

00:35:53
Speaker 1: Yes, please definitely watch it. Support Support, Support, I love it so well. This year's theme is a race to freedom. So in closing, I'm going to tell you what my race to freedom is and what I'm working towards, and then I would love for you to share with us your race to freedom. Okay, for me, when I leave Women Evolved this year, I want to be free from self sabotage, the spirit of self sabotage. I want to be free of understanding that things that are out of my control they're simply out of my control because I get worked up.

00:36:32
Speaker 4: So mine is very similar. I want to be free from judgment of myself. I'm really hard, yeah, So I want to free myself of having to set a certain bar for everybody, myself, making sure everybody's pleased, and I'm taking care of everybody in it and you know, making people happy, being nice, and you know it's the thing in this business. It's like I don't want to lose who I am, because that's just who I am. But it can be very very stressful carrying that and judging yourself if you feel like you've done something wrong. So it's very similar to what you're saying. I want to give myself grace. I want to release the things I have no control of. I cannot control what people say, think, do, even though I if I put out my best intentions, it doesn't matter. Yeah, So I want to free myself with that.

00:37:34
Speaker 1: I love that. I love that. Do you mind if we close off in a prayer because I know everyone who was here they came for a reason and I just want to pray over you guys before we leave. Is that okay? All right? I mave o our heads, Heavening Father. We just want to thank you for this day, Dear God. We thank you for safe travels. We want to thank you for every woman that is present in this room who is thirsty for your word, who was thirsty for you, your presence, Dear God, and yearns for it. I ask that whatever is on her or his heart, I ask that you answer it and be very clear. I ask that you move with swiftness, Dear God, whatever it is, if there's a sickness, if there is hurt, if there is trauma, whatever it is, or God, I ask that you heal them from that. I asked that every person leaves this conference change with a new perspective and knowing that you are a gracious God. I ask that you allow us to give ourselves more grace the same way that you do, because I know, even myself, I'm hard on myself, but as I studied your word, I know that you are a good God. You are a gracious God, and every time we fall, you are there to pick us up. So I want to just thank you for this moment. Thank you for allowing me to use this platform to spread your word.

00:38:45
Speaker 3: Thank you.

00:38:53
Speaker 1: I'm so undeserving. Thank you God, but you let me know every day that I deserve it everything that you have put in my life, and I appreciate that. I want to continue to keep this humble heart. I asked that you continue to bless this platform that we can continue to spread your message. And I ask it everywhere I go that they see your light In Jesus name, we pray Amen, Amen,