WEBVTT 00:00:04.080 --> 00:00:08.699 Hey family, listen, if you're like me, life gets 00:00:08.699 --> 00:00:11.679 crazy and hectic. And sometimes our body needs 00:00:11.679 --> 00:00:15.300 a little extra love. For years, I've been using 00:00:15.300 --> 00:00:18.140 something that has been a game changer for me 00:00:18.140 --> 00:00:21.640 as well as recommending it to my clients. I'd 00:00:21.640 --> 00:00:25.059 like to introduce you to Vital Body. It is packed 00:00:25.059 --> 00:00:29.539 with 37 fruits and vegetables, 19 herbs and spices 00:00:29.539 --> 00:00:34.939 prebiotics, 15 strands of probiotics, 21 different 00:00:34.939 --> 00:00:37.500 enzymes and I'm telling you what, you get 100 00:00:37.500 --> 00:00:42.420 % of your daily dose of 21 vitamins and minerals 00:00:42.420 --> 00:00:46.240 straight from nature. This product contains no 00:00:46.240 --> 00:00:49.479 GMOs and it is vegan friendly. And here's the 00:00:49.479 --> 00:00:52.780 best thing, there are no artificial flavors. 00:00:53.820 --> 00:00:57.380 So if you're ready to kick off your vitality 00:00:57.380 --> 00:01:00.179 journey and you want to feel better daily, and 00:01:00.179 --> 00:01:02.439 if you're like me, you want a little extra sleep, 00:01:02.649 --> 00:01:05.750 throughout the night head on over to vitalbody 00:01:05.750 --> 00:01:10.290 .com backslash monica and because you remember 00:01:10.290 --> 00:01:13.209 the black women amplified family they are graciously 00:01:13.209 --> 00:01:18.010 giving us an extra 20 off of our order just use 00:01:18.010 --> 00:01:22.109 the code monica20 get prepared i can't wait for 00:01:22.109 --> 00:01:26.170 you to try it head on over to vitalbody .com 00:01:26.170 --> 00:01:29.890 backslash monica and start your vitality journey 00:01:29.890 --> 00:01:45.299 today Welcome and thank you for tuning in to 00:01:45.299 --> 00:01:48.620 Black Women Amplified, the podcast. Your host 00:01:48.620 --> 00:01:52.180 Monica Wisdom Tyson brings you downloadable conversations 00:01:52.180 --> 00:01:55.799 that matter to women around the globe. We discuss 00:01:55.799 --> 00:01:59.040 all things Black Girl Magic, amplify our voices 00:01:59.040 --> 00:02:03.920 and transform our challenges into triumphs. Monica 00:02:03.920 --> 00:02:06.620 calls on her league of extraordinary women to 00:02:06.620 --> 00:02:09.780 push our boundaries, share their expertise and 00:02:09.780 --> 00:02:13.250 stories of personal transformation. Welcome your 00:02:13.250 --> 00:02:17.110 host of Black Women Amplified, Monica Wisdom 00:02:17.110 --> 00:02:24.009 Tyson. Hello, everyone. This is your girl, Monica 00:02:24.009 --> 00:02:26.509 Wisdom, and I am so excited that you're here 00:02:26.509 --> 00:02:29.629 with us today. Welcome to the Black Women Amplified 00:02:29.629 --> 00:02:32.650 podcast. If this is your first time listening, 00:02:33.370 --> 00:02:35.629 thank you for joining us. And if you were a seasoned 00:02:35.629 --> 00:02:37.909 supporter, thank you for rocking with us. Your 00:02:37.909 --> 00:02:40.889 support means everything. And you know the routine. 00:02:41.270 --> 00:02:44.009 Heading over to YouTube, click the subscribe 00:02:44.009 --> 00:02:46.990 button. On wherever you're listening, click the 00:02:46.990 --> 00:02:49.750 follow button and make sure you head to the show 00:02:49.750 --> 00:02:53.169 notes and support our power partners. They help 00:02:53.169 --> 00:02:57.530 keep the show going. Today, I'm so excited. I 00:02:57.530 --> 00:03:00.849 have the immense pleasure of introducing to you 00:03:00.849 --> 00:03:05.319 an entertainment phenom. Icy Parks. With a remarkable 00:03:05.319 --> 00:03:07.939 career spanning over three decades and nearly 00:03:07.939 --> 00:03:11.800 90 projects to her name, Icy carries the legacy 00:03:11.800 --> 00:03:15.379 of her legendary parents, costume designer, Judy 00:03:15.379 --> 00:03:19.159 Deering, and dancer and educator, Professor John 00:03:19.159 --> 00:03:23.439 Parks. Their collective works have played a pivotal 00:03:23.439 --> 00:03:26.960 role in shaping the very essence of Black theater 00:03:26.960 --> 00:03:30.240 and dance on Broadway. While you may not be familiar 00:03:30.240 --> 00:03:33.710 with her name just yet, Today, you are in for 00:03:33.710 --> 00:03:36.330 a treat as you get to know Icy Parks and her 00:03:36.330 --> 00:03:39.310 incredible journey. Like many remarkable women, 00:03:39.750 --> 00:03:42.569 Icy immerses herself in her craft and allows 00:03:42.569 --> 00:03:45.889 the work to speak for itself. Her Broadway credits 00:03:45.889 --> 00:03:50.330 include iconic productions such as Fosse, Hairspray, 00:03:50.610 --> 00:03:54.310 The Color Purple, and The Wiz. It's no wonder 00:03:54.310 --> 00:03:58.250 that film and television eagerly welcomed her 00:03:58.250 --> 00:04:01.819 to set. Her journey began with New York Undercover, 00:04:02.259 --> 00:04:07.520 Oz, Taxi, and Broadway Empire. And her brilliance 00:04:07.520 --> 00:04:11.520 led her to the call of a lifetime. Yes, the call 00:04:11.520 --> 00:04:15.199 of a lifetime. To be the costume supervisor for 00:04:15.199 --> 00:04:18.980 the highly anticipated film, The Color Purple, 00:04:19.459 --> 00:04:22.220 produced by none other than Steven Spielberg 00:04:22.220 --> 00:04:26.879 and Oprah Winfrey. Today, Icy Parks graciously 00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:29.319 takes us behind the scenes of her incredible 00:04:29.319 --> 00:04:32.839 career and shares her captivating story in this 00:04:32.839 --> 00:04:37.279 exclusive interview. It is an absolute honor 00:04:37.279 --> 00:04:41.100 to introduce and welcome Icy Parks to the Black 00:04:41.100 --> 00:04:50.779 Women Amplified podcast. Hello, Black Women Amplified 00:04:50.779 --> 00:04:53.420 family. I'm sorry, this offline conversation 00:04:53.420 --> 00:04:57.060 was hilarious. Listen, Black women amplify family. 00:04:57.160 --> 00:04:59.800 I am so excited about this conversation. It is 00:04:59.800 --> 00:05:03.240 very special. It's a person that I met twenty 00:05:03.240 --> 00:05:07.339 twenty two and just a force of nature within 00:05:07.339 --> 00:05:10.000 herself and her industry and what she brings 00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:13.040 to the world. Oftentimes we focus on the stars 00:05:13.040 --> 00:05:16.279 of a movie. But making a movie is a puzzle of 00:05:16.279 --> 00:05:19.920 a thousand pieces. And one essential part. is 00:05:19.920 --> 00:05:22.920 the costume and wardrobe department. Costumes 00:05:22.920 --> 00:05:25.639 help create the characters and they build the 00:05:25.639 --> 00:05:28.779 fantasy for the watcher. The clothes transport 00:05:28.779 --> 00:05:31.800 us into the story and even fashion designers 00:05:31.800 --> 00:05:34.980 have proclaimed that the movie industry impacted 00:05:34.980 --> 00:05:38.259 their fashion journey. Today we have one of the 00:05:38.259 --> 00:05:41.959 icons in the game. You may not have seen her, 00:05:41.980 --> 00:05:45.339 but you have seen her work. Today we have on 00:05:45.339 --> 00:05:51.560 the legendary Icy Parks. And I tell you, this 00:05:51.560 --> 00:05:54.160 is a special and rare conversation because she 00:05:54.160 --> 00:05:57.639 is about her work. Ladies and gentlemen, I bring 00:05:57.639 --> 00:06:02.779 to you Icy Parks, costumer, star dresser, and 00:06:02.779 --> 00:06:06.399 all the things, wardrobe and costume from movies 00:06:06.399 --> 00:06:09.540 and television and Broadway that you have seen 00:06:09.540 --> 00:06:13.699 and had no idea who was inspiring you. We have 00:06:13.699 --> 00:06:17.279 her with you today. Miss Icy Parks, how are you? 00:06:17.519 --> 00:06:21.699 I'm so well, I'm so happy and happy that you 00:06:21.699 --> 00:06:25.120 had me on the show and I feel like this is a 00:06:25.120 --> 00:06:29.899 special thing. Yes, this is the rarest of the 00:06:29.899 --> 00:06:36.779 rarest. Yes. And we are one day post -strike. 00:06:37.160 --> 00:06:42.910 How are you feeling? Really, really good. ready 00:06:42.910 --> 00:06:45.610 to get back to work. I mean, this industry was 00:06:45.610 --> 00:06:49.730 completely shut down for so long. You know, first 00:06:49.730 --> 00:06:53.790 we had the writers and then SAG. So I mean, I 00:06:53.790 --> 00:06:58.449 had jobs that didn't happen, of course. So I 00:06:58.449 --> 00:07:02.810 am happy to get back to work and ready. You know, 00:07:02.930 --> 00:07:07.230 no one really realizes how many people are impacted. 00:07:07.579 --> 00:07:11.339 were impacted by the strike. I mean from teamsters 00:07:11.339 --> 00:07:16.160 to prop people to electricians to how many departments 00:07:16.160 --> 00:07:19.439 it takes to make a movie or a television show 00:07:19.439 --> 00:07:24.120 and how many people were not working. I know 00:07:24.120 --> 00:07:27.540 I mean I was just thinking just the people who 00:07:27.540 --> 00:07:31.540 clean up the place or provide bread and water 00:07:31.540 --> 00:07:35.259 didn't have a contract. Exactly. It's like a 00:07:35.259 --> 00:07:38.660 a movie company is like a universe. So every 00:07:38.660 --> 00:07:41.860 piece of that universe was shut down, including 00:07:41.860 --> 00:07:46.399 your department. Yep. But I tell you what, I 00:07:46.399 --> 00:07:49.540 am proud because I was around when of the age 00:07:49.540 --> 00:07:52.500 when technology took over the music industry 00:07:52.500 --> 00:07:56.699 and it destroyed it. And I was so happy to see 00:07:56.699 --> 00:07:58.839 that your industry said it's not going to happen 00:07:58.839 --> 00:08:03.540 to us. Yeah. I mean, I have to say the fight 00:08:03.540 --> 00:08:07.430 was a good fight. You know, it was a needed fight. 00:08:07.689 --> 00:08:11.170 It needed to happen. So in spite of being unhappy 00:08:11.170 --> 00:08:15.689 about not working, the cause was just. And to 00:08:15.689 --> 00:08:19.470 do it not shortly after the shutdown of everybody 00:08:19.470 --> 00:08:22.310 a couple of years ago, it was still a beautiful 00:08:22.310 --> 00:08:24.310 thing to see that people are like, we're not 00:08:24.310 --> 00:08:28.110 taking this anymore. Yeah. And the question was, 00:08:28.470 --> 00:08:31.790 can you just be fair? It wasn't Atlanta's ass. 00:08:31.850 --> 00:08:35.629 It was just, can you be fair? Right. So everybody 00:08:35.629 --> 00:08:37.929 got the answer that they, they might not have 00:08:37.929 --> 00:08:40.929 got all the answers they wanted, but the strike 00:08:40.929 --> 00:08:46.230 is over. Yeah. Yes. Yes. Now, what is the recovery 00:08:46.230 --> 00:08:50.370 going to look like after the 118 days of this 00:08:50.370 --> 00:08:55.330 strike? No, I've had this conversation many times 00:08:55.330 --> 00:08:59.309 and I honestly, it's the one thing I can't figure 00:08:59.309 --> 00:09:03.159 out. I don't know. how this has impacted the 00:09:03.159 --> 00:09:06.039 business. I don't know if it's for the best or 00:09:06.039 --> 00:09:08.639 for the worst. It's a frequent conversation. 00:09:09.080 --> 00:09:13.320 What are we coming back to? And when we're down 00:09:13.320 --> 00:09:16.700 for so long, I just don't know. We could be coming 00:09:16.700 --> 00:09:22.279 back to rushing and deadlines and working us 00:09:22.279 --> 00:09:26.259 like horses to get television and movies back 00:09:26.259 --> 00:09:30.090 up because we're so far behind. It's like before 00:09:30.090 --> 00:09:34.049 anything can even appear on a network or streaming, 00:09:34.870 --> 00:09:37.889 it has to be shot first. We have to shoot it. 00:09:38.690 --> 00:09:42.929 So I don't know yet. I don't know. I just don't 00:09:42.929 --> 00:09:46.149 know if there's going to just be a blast of work, 00:09:46.830 --> 00:09:51.509 a blast of tiring work or rushing. I don't know 00:09:51.509 --> 00:09:54.809 if we're going to try to shoot episodes in less 00:09:54.809 --> 00:09:58.600 days. I just don't know. It's the one thing I 00:09:58.600 --> 00:10:00.919 can't put my finger on until I actually get in 00:10:00.919 --> 00:10:04.299 it. Now, were you working on a job currently 00:10:04.299 --> 00:10:07.299 when this happened or were you about to start 00:10:07.299 --> 00:10:11.860 a process? No. The job that I was working on 00:10:11.860 --> 00:10:16.179 had just went on hiatus. Okay. If we've been 00:10:16.179 --> 00:10:18.120 going so long, I can't remember the name of the 00:10:18.120 --> 00:10:22.960 job. I was doing the equalizer. Okay. The TV 00:10:22.960 --> 00:10:27.049 show. And that job just went on hiatus. But then 00:10:27.049 --> 00:10:30.649 I was up for a movie that was supposed to start 00:10:30.649 --> 00:10:33.830 and that didn't start. And then the equalizer 00:10:33.830 --> 00:10:37.570 should have had already been back working. So 00:10:37.570 --> 00:10:40.690 that didn't happen. So yeah, the TV show and 00:10:40.690 --> 00:10:43.850 the movie didn't happen. And now we're trying 00:10:43.850 --> 00:10:45.929 to figure out when all that stuff is going to 00:10:45.929 --> 00:10:48.610 start again. Because I don't think people understand 00:10:48.610 --> 00:10:52.549 that when you choose jobs is based on a timeline. 00:10:52.809 --> 00:10:56.529 So you can get multiple jobs in a year, but it 00:10:56.529 --> 00:10:59.870 depends on the timing of when you pop in and 00:10:59.870 --> 00:11:03.029 when you pop out and how long is this going to 00:11:03.029 --> 00:11:05.450 shoot. And so you can get a TV show, a movie 00:11:05.450 --> 00:11:09.970 and a play in, in one year. But if the timing 00:11:09.970 --> 00:11:14.350 of one is off, everything is off for you. Correct. 00:11:14.769 --> 00:11:17.809 Yep. You got it. So yeah, and then we still have 00:11:17.809 --> 00:11:21.350 the holidays. So, you know, film business is 00:11:21.350 --> 00:11:24.990 shut down for a good sometimes over two weeks 00:11:24.990 --> 00:11:27.789 because of the holidays. So it's like the timing 00:11:27.789 --> 00:11:30.250 is weird of this. Like, yes, we're going to start. 00:11:30.629 --> 00:11:32.870 The strike is over, but we have Thanksgiving 00:11:32.870 --> 00:11:37.250 and then Christmas and New Year's. I mean, the 00:11:37.250 --> 00:11:39.929 business is completely shut down. I don't think 00:11:39.929 --> 00:11:41.490 it's going to be shut down this year. I think 00:11:41.490 --> 00:11:44.779 people are tired of their families. Let me get 00:11:44.779 --> 00:11:49.980 to work. Right. And that may change too. They 00:11:49.980 --> 00:11:53.639 may not do the regular two weeks that they, I 00:11:53.639 --> 00:11:58.379 don't know. We just have to see. Well, you have 00:11:58.379 --> 00:12:01.120 been in this game since the nineties. You have 00:12:01.120 --> 00:12:05.179 seen much of it. So you've been through the ebbs 00:12:05.179 --> 00:12:08.200 and flows. Tell us about the road to your first. 00:12:08.700 --> 00:12:14.399 Yes. The road to my first. Yes. Well, My mother 00:12:14.399 --> 00:12:18.960 was a costume designer. Okay, and she did Broadway 00:12:18.960 --> 00:12:24.879 shows and I was actually in college home on a 00:12:24.879 --> 00:12:30.000 break and He was talking about she lost her supervisor 00:12:30.000 --> 00:12:33.179 and this and that on the phone with someone I 00:12:33.179 --> 00:12:37.759 guess the producers and I said I'll do it and 00:12:37.759 --> 00:12:41.940 She was like what I said, I'll do it And so I 00:12:41.940 --> 00:12:45.200 went on the interview, I got the job, and it 00:12:45.200 --> 00:12:48.460 was an off -Broadway show. And so that means 00:12:48.460 --> 00:12:52.480 that I did everything. I was the, you know, the 00:12:52.480 --> 00:12:55.559 costumer, I did the costumes, I could die. And 00:12:55.559 --> 00:12:58.759 when I tell you, that was one of the hardest 00:12:58.759 --> 00:13:01.919 jobs for me. I messed up so much, but it was 00:13:01.919 --> 00:13:07.740 the best way to learn. And I also knew so much 00:13:07.740 --> 00:13:11.960 more than I thought I knew. So I did that job 00:13:11.960 --> 00:13:17.220 and that show, the Off -Broadway Show went to 00:13:17.220 --> 00:13:20.639 Broadway. And they said that they were not gonna 00:13:20.639 --> 00:13:25.340 go without me. So I got into the union on that 00:13:25.340 --> 00:13:29.879 job. The cast petitioned for me because they 00:13:29.879 --> 00:13:32.299 weren't gonna hire me because I wasn't union. 00:13:33.259 --> 00:13:35.440 And they were gonna hire someone else. I had 00:13:35.440 --> 00:13:38.320 to step down and not be the supervisor. I had 00:13:38.320 --> 00:13:43.230 to be a... a dresser, but they said I have to 00:13:43.230 --> 00:13:46.450 be on that show. And so I got into the union, 00:13:46.710 --> 00:13:49.730 thanks to them, thanks to the cast. And that 00:13:49.730 --> 00:13:53.669 show was Once on this Island. Now, I've never 00:13:53.669 --> 00:13:55.549 heard of that show. Tell me about that show. 00:13:56.070 --> 00:13:59.610 It's a Broadway Caribbean show, a small musical. 00:13:59.909 --> 00:14:03.129 It had no intermission. It was like 90 minutes. 00:14:03.509 --> 00:14:06.610 And actually, it went to Broadway twice because 00:14:06.610 --> 00:14:10.450 they redid it. and brought it to Broadway again. 00:14:11.049 --> 00:14:14.730 And it's just about this little girl on this 00:14:14.730 --> 00:14:19.250 island. It's a cute show, musical. And so that 00:14:19.250 --> 00:14:24.289 was the show. I did that. And then after that, 00:14:24.649 --> 00:14:29.070 I just started going to different theaters and 00:14:29.070 --> 00:14:32.379 saying that I was available for work. And before 00:14:32.379 --> 00:14:34.960 you know it, I was in this business, like really 00:14:34.960 --> 00:14:40.879 doing it. Now, is this something that you dreamed 00:14:40.879 --> 00:14:43.940 of as a little girl or you just walked into it 00:14:43.940 --> 00:14:47.200 and said yes? It was really weird. I went to 00:14:47.200 --> 00:14:50.659 school for accounting. I used to assist my mom 00:14:50.659 --> 00:14:54.460 on jobs, but it was nothing that I never saw 00:14:54.460 --> 00:14:59.919 myself doing. And I'm up with it. when I started 00:14:59.919 --> 00:15:02.379 doing it, and then I couldn't see myself doing 00:15:02.379 --> 00:15:06.320 anything else. Oh, wow. And I did whatever it 00:15:06.320 --> 00:15:10.179 took to stay prevalent. Like, I used to be a 00:15:10.179 --> 00:15:14.340 swing for different shows, and a swing is when... 00:15:14.340 --> 00:15:17.200 So we have... On Broadway, there's tracks. Every 00:15:17.200 --> 00:15:20.080 dresser has a track. It may be, like, ten tracks, 00:15:20.460 --> 00:15:25.159 however many. And I used to swing, which means 00:15:25.159 --> 00:15:28.820 that I had to know everybody's track. And so 00:15:28.820 --> 00:15:31.840 if they called me to come in, because somebody 00:15:31.840 --> 00:15:34.940 was out, I used to have to know what track was 00:15:34.940 --> 00:15:38.480 what. I even did tracks cold, having never done 00:15:38.480 --> 00:15:42.360 the show before. Oh, wow. Just based on a book 00:15:42.360 --> 00:15:49.299 telling me where to go and what to do. Wow. That's 00:15:49.299 --> 00:15:51.379 like walking in and, here, sing this song. You're 00:15:51.379 --> 00:15:55.740 like, OK. Uh -huh. And when I look back, I'm 00:15:55.740 --> 00:15:59.320 like, I was crazy then I did it, but I did it. 00:16:00.299 --> 00:16:03.039 You did it and clearly you have a great reputation 00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:09.919 because your resume is long and strong. I mean, 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:13.039 I was like, okay, okay, okay, I'm just scrolling, 00:16:13.820 --> 00:16:17.700 scrolling. I'm like, oh my God, I think I've 00:16:17.700 --> 00:16:20.279 seen everything she's done. Oh my goodness, had 00:16:20.279 --> 00:16:24.139 no idea. But before we get into that, talk about 00:16:24.139 --> 00:16:27.480 your mom as a costumer. And how did she get into 00:16:27.480 --> 00:16:30.139 the industry? And was there anybody else around 00:16:30.139 --> 00:16:32.840 in your family that did it? Or was she the first? 00:16:33.259 --> 00:16:38.279 She was the first to do it in that way. My granddad 00:16:38.279 --> 00:16:42.960 was a tailor, and he used to build suits for 00:16:42.960 --> 00:16:45.240 basketball play. He had a cleaner. He had a chain 00:16:45.240 --> 00:16:49.320 of cleaners in Harlem. So she got that, I would 00:16:49.320 --> 00:16:52.840 say, from him. And she was the first to do it 00:16:52.840 --> 00:16:57.360 on her level. And then I came from an art family 00:16:57.360 --> 00:16:59.940 because my mother was a costume designer, and 00:16:59.940 --> 00:17:04.380 my dad, he was an Alvin Ailey dancer. Girl. Yeah. 00:17:04.920 --> 00:17:08.000 So my mother... Okay, before you get into my 00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:10.460 mother, my father, let's speak their name, because 00:17:10.460 --> 00:17:12.859 they are icons in their own right. They really 00:17:12.859 --> 00:17:15.099 are. Judy Daring and John Parks, my parents. 00:17:15.099 --> 00:17:19.680 Okay. And my mother used to dance with Miriam 00:17:19.680 --> 00:17:28.309 Makeba. who was my godmother, and Stokely Carmichael, 00:17:28.450 --> 00:17:31.569 my godfather. Okay, hold on. I have chills. I 00:17:31.569 --> 00:17:34.109 have chills. I mean, because you were speaking, 00:17:34.349 --> 00:17:39.210 the people that I, I love Mary Makeba. Pata Pata 00:17:39.210 --> 00:17:43.049 is one of my favorite songs. And you know, I'm 00:17:43.049 --> 00:17:46.650 from St. Louis, so I know the music music. But 00:17:46.650 --> 00:17:49.289 go ahead. I'm sorry. I digress. It's OK. My mother 00:17:49.289 --> 00:17:52.289 used to dance. And that's how, because people 00:17:52.289 --> 00:17:55.690 call me Icy, but my real name is Icytus, which 00:17:55.690 --> 00:17:59.089 got from when my mother was pregnant dancing 00:17:59.089 --> 00:18:02.950 with Miriam in Africa. And that's how I got my 00:18:02.950 --> 00:18:08.230 name. And so she met my father through dancing. 00:18:09.750 --> 00:18:15.019 And she would build the costumes for you know, 00:18:15.039 --> 00:18:18.059 the dance groups and all of that. And she just 00:18:18.059 --> 00:18:21.500 started costuming more than dancing. I mean, 00:18:21.500 --> 00:18:24.599 she was, she's amazing. She was amazing. She 00:18:24.599 --> 00:18:27.339 is actually, she was the original costume designer 00:18:27.339 --> 00:18:33.059 for Color Girls. And Shizaki at first had names 00:18:33.059 --> 00:18:36.200 for them, but they didn't have a lot of money. 00:18:36.339 --> 00:18:39.119 And she came up with the idea, why don't I just 00:18:39.119 --> 00:18:42.000 dye a bunch of dresses of different colors? And 00:18:42.000 --> 00:18:45.019 we could name the actors these colors. And so 00:18:45.019 --> 00:18:48.880 I got that aspect. And I grew up in theaters, 00:18:49.039 --> 00:18:52.440 you know, meeting my mother at rehearsal or my 00:18:52.440 --> 00:18:56.079 dad at Alvin Ali's or it's just in my blood. 00:18:56.759 --> 00:18:59.460 And I grew up a lot. There was a place called 00:18:59.460 --> 00:19:03.220 the Negro Ensemble Company, NEC, which my mother 00:19:03.220 --> 00:19:06.240 did a lot of theater, a lot of costume for them. 00:19:06.720 --> 00:19:09.859 So my whole thing was I would get out of school 00:19:09.859 --> 00:19:13.559 and it would be... Who do I go to, my dad or 00:19:13.559 --> 00:19:16.420 my mother? Do I go to this theater or to this 00:19:16.420 --> 00:19:24.079 dance rehearsal? And it's in my blood. It's in 00:19:24.079 --> 00:19:27.980 my blood. And actually, my mom, I remember funny 00:19:27.980 --> 00:19:30.819 stories and she, because I used to assist her, 00:19:30.880 --> 00:19:33.619 she was like, oh, now that you're union, you 00:19:33.619 --> 00:19:40.720 won't do my job. You too good for us now. And 00:19:40.720 --> 00:19:44.000 you're busy and I can't get you to work now. 00:19:44.180 --> 00:19:50.259 I'm sorry. Like a mommy, but I got to do me. 00:19:53.440 --> 00:19:55.960 You had to follow your own yellow brick road. 00:19:56.180 --> 00:19:59.339 And my dad actually, he was in the woods. So 00:19:59.339 --> 00:20:04.079 you said that my dad was, um, he did the wiz 00:20:04.079 --> 00:20:08.400 on Broadway and he was in the movie. And he, 00:20:08.480 --> 00:20:10.990 yeah. And it's funny because me and my dad were 00:20:10.990 --> 00:20:13.789 just talking about it. We were just talking about 00:20:13.789 --> 00:20:17.670 me on set playing with Diana Ross's kids and 00:20:17.670 --> 00:20:21.369 meeting Michael Jackson. And it was a great time 00:20:21.369 --> 00:20:25.450 for me. And actually, my dad was a bigger star 00:20:25.450 --> 00:20:28.190 than my mom at the time. And then she became 00:20:28.190 --> 00:20:34.609 a huge star. So it was in my genes. It is all 00:20:34.609 --> 00:20:38.710 up in your DNA, your bloodline. So you are continuing 00:20:39.019 --> 00:20:40.720 it's not that you're doing the work, you are 00:20:40.720 --> 00:20:43.299 continuing the legacy of your parents, which 00:20:43.299 --> 00:20:48.059 is beautiful. And so you are just this unit has 00:20:48.059 --> 00:20:52.339 made such an impact on the arts. That's incredible. 00:20:52.940 --> 00:20:55.720 That's absolutely incredible. How did you get 00:20:55.720 --> 00:20:58.160 into the film industry? Because you have such 00:20:58.160 --> 00:21:04.779 a rich background in the theater. Hello, Black 00:21:04.779 --> 00:21:06.960 Women Amplified family. This is your girl Monica 00:21:06.960 --> 00:21:09.920 Wisdom. In honor of season three, I've created 00:21:09.920 --> 00:21:15.480 an incredible tool just for you. It is a journal, 00:21:15.940 --> 00:21:19.019 self -discovery workbook, and coloring book all 00:21:19.019 --> 00:21:22.960 in one. And it is beautiful. It is available 00:21:22.960 --> 00:21:26.400 on Amazon right now. And it's also the perfect 00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:28.980 gift for you to share with your friends. Head 00:21:28.980 --> 00:21:32.519 on over to Amazon or our show notes. Click the 00:21:32.519 --> 00:21:36.700 link. Make your purchase and let the self -discovery 00:21:36.700 --> 00:21:43.539 journey begin. One day, well, it's not just one 00:21:43.539 --> 00:21:49.420 day. I know how it happens. I was doing ragtime. 00:21:50.200 --> 00:21:53.359 I think that was the job we had changed. And 00:21:53.359 --> 00:21:59.359 I was pregnant with my son. And I knew that Broadway 00:21:59.359 --> 00:22:03.549 is eight shows a week. You work every time people 00:22:03.549 --> 00:22:07.930 are off, holidays and all of that. And I needed 00:22:07.930 --> 00:22:10.809 to do something else. And to be perfectly honest, 00:22:11.049 --> 00:22:15.130 I also was, I just, I was, it was time for me 00:22:15.130 --> 00:22:18.250 to do something different. I was over being in 00:22:18.250 --> 00:22:22.210 the dark theater seven days a week. And I just 00:22:22.210 --> 00:22:26.329 started putting out that I wanted to do film. 00:22:26.910 --> 00:22:30.700 And it's funny, I always tell people, When you 00:22:30.700 --> 00:22:32.920 want to do something, you have to put that out 00:22:32.920 --> 00:22:35.880 into the universe and speak about it. Because 00:22:35.880 --> 00:22:40.920 I went to a party, and a person just asked me, 00:22:41.279 --> 00:22:43.180 what is it that you aspire to do? And I said, 00:22:43.220 --> 00:22:45.839 I'm on Broadway now, but I really would love 00:22:45.839 --> 00:22:49.859 to get into film. And it's so crazy. I did not 00:22:49.859 --> 00:22:53.160 know that I was talking to someone whose boyfriend 00:22:53.160 --> 00:22:59.559 was a wardrobe supervisor for film. I had no 00:22:59.559 --> 00:23:03.640 idea. And he called me in, Tom Stokes called 00:23:03.640 --> 00:23:09.299 me in, and this job was Oz. Girl. You know, the 00:23:09.299 --> 00:23:16.660 prison HBO show. Yes. Yep. And I was actually 00:23:16.660 --> 00:23:21.559 dressing Ben Varene at the time on Fosse when 00:23:21.559 --> 00:23:26.380 the job happened. And I would get up at like, 00:23:26.430 --> 00:23:29.930 whatever crack at 4 o 'clock or whatever in the 00:23:29.930 --> 00:23:33.529 morning and I Tom said that he was willing to 00:23:33.529 --> 00:23:36.029 train me, you know, I told him I never did so 00:23:36.029 --> 00:23:38.730 before he said we'll train you and I did tell 00:23:38.730 --> 00:23:41.049 them that I had this Broadway job so I would 00:23:41.049 --> 00:23:44.990 get up in the morning shoot on and then run to 00:23:44.990 --> 00:23:49.410 the theater and dressed in Marina Foxy to do 00:23:49.410 --> 00:23:56.309 it all over again. I stuck it out for a while 00:23:56.309 --> 00:24:01.369 I did that and then I ended up doing Oz for most 00:24:01.369 --> 00:24:04.930 of their seasons. So then I let go of Broadway 00:24:04.930 --> 00:24:09.390 and I just, one job led to another led to another 00:24:09.390 --> 00:24:12.789 led to another. I did go back to Broadway sometimes 00:24:12.789 --> 00:24:17.130 in between, but film kind of took over. And you 00:24:17.130 --> 00:24:20.589 know, each job is a relationship that you form 00:24:20.589 --> 00:24:24.170 with people. So word of mouth is very important 00:24:24.170 --> 00:24:29.190 in our business. And word of mouth got around, 00:24:29.210 --> 00:24:34.069 and I got more jobs, and here it is. I was in 00:24:34.069 --> 00:24:38.829 film. Because I did everything. I did theater 00:24:38.829 --> 00:24:43.950 tours. I toured with Havana Arce. I did tours. 00:24:44.029 --> 00:24:46.650 I did everything that I could possibly do in 00:24:46.650 --> 00:24:50.089 this business. Film, television, theater. So 00:24:50.089 --> 00:24:52.230 what are some of the tours that you went on? 00:24:52.990 --> 00:24:56.430 I did one tour, Have It On Say. I supervised 00:24:56.430 --> 00:25:00.309 that tour. And then I did another tour of a Broadway 00:25:00.309 --> 00:25:03.849 show, of a Broadway play, No Place To Be Somebody, 00:25:05.230 --> 00:25:08.990 with Antonio Faragus and Philip Michael. Wow. 00:25:09.170 --> 00:25:14.529 You have worked with everybody. Uh -huh. Yeah. 00:25:15.920 --> 00:25:19.440 I know your family is deep in the theater, but 00:25:19.440 --> 00:25:21.960 there has to be a level of integrity that you 00:25:21.960 --> 00:25:25.740 have to have to get calls to work on a project. 00:25:26.359 --> 00:25:29.880 What is your philosophy or your core values that 00:25:29.880 --> 00:25:33.460 ensures that you continue to work? Because like 00:25:33.460 --> 00:25:35.279 you said, it's about relationship. Like what 00:25:35.279 --> 00:25:39.279 are your core values? Well, I work very hard 00:25:39.279 --> 00:25:43.500 and I like to have fun while I'm working. I don't 00:25:43.500 --> 00:25:46.539 like it to be a miserable experience. Just to 00:25:46.539 --> 00:25:50.259 be good to people come in with a positive attitude. 00:25:50.279 --> 00:25:54.119 I try to stay positive every day You know when 00:25:54.119 --> 00:25:56.579 everybody's down. I want to be the one to pick 00:25:56.579 --> 00:26:01.960 you up, you know and just be happy have a happy 00:26:01.960 --> 00:26:06.640 work environment and You can't go wrong, you 00:26:06.640 --> 00:26:11.779 know Be pleasant and work hard. I work hard from 00:26:11.779 --> 00:26:15.720 beginning to end I take pride I don't stop. I 00:26:15.720 --> 00:26:19.519 don't, I just, people are paying for a job and 00:26:19.519 --> 00:26:22.339 I have to make sure that I do that. And I do 00:26:22.339 --> 00:26:25.559 it to the best of my ability. And I want my crew 00:26:25.559 --> 00:26:28.240 to do the same. I often tell people when you 00:26:28.240 --> 00:26:30.900 get in the young people, when you get into positions 00:26:30.900 --> 00:26:33.660 like this, you can never make it about you. You 00:26:33.660 --> 00:26:36.220 have to make it about the work because as soon 00:26:36.220 --> 00:26:38.599 as you think it's about you, you lose the work. 00:26:39.019 --> 00:26:42.740 Exactly. You're right. you lose the work. So 00:26:42.740 --> 00:26:45.859 I know that behind the scenes, a lot of magic 00:26:45.859 --> 00:26:49.539 that happens. What, and not to tell any of the 00:26:49.539 --> 00:26:53.500 secrets, what is one of those magic moments that 00:26:53.500 --> 00:26:56.180 you can share with us that stands out for you? 00:26:56.180 --> 00:27:00.380 When you say magic, what do you mean? You know, 00:27:00.700 --> 00:27:05.799 like something that happens that It wasn't expected, 00:27:05.960 --> 00:27:08.539 but it shifted something. It shifted the energy. 00:27:09.019 --> 00:27:11.460 It shifted the moment. And you knew that there 00:27:11.460 --> 00:27:14.640 was something else happening that you could not 00:27:14.640 --> 00:27:17.779 see. Like I hear our mutual friend talk about 00:27:17.779 --> 00:27:20.819 it all the time that this happened and we didn't 00:27:20.819 --> 00:27:25.980 expect it, but it was amazing. It happened so 00:27:25.980 --> 00:27:30.930 many times. It's kind of like hard to... pinpoint 00:27:30.930 --> 00:27:33.930 one of our way down. Yeah, because I have to 00:27:33.930 --> 00:27:39.690 say, in this business, it always changes. For 00:27:39.690 --> 00:27:43.930 me, magic moments like when we shut the bridge 00:27:43.930 --> 00:27:47.329 down, you know, we shut our whole New York City 00:27:47.329 --> 00:27:50.190 bridge down and it's four o 'clock in the morning 00:27:50.190 --> 00:27:53.630 in the city of ours, you know, those are magic 00:27:53.630 --> 00:27:57.049 moments for me. It happens on the color purple 00:27:57.049 --> 00:28:00.690 when I did the color purple. I had a magic moment 00:28:00.690 --> 00:28:04.930 within myself just watching one of the scenes 00:28:04.930 --> 00:28:09.410 and saying, wow, this is really going to be amazing. 00:28:09.490 --> 00:28:12.950 And I'm so grateful to be a part of it. I have 00:28:12.950 --> 00:28:17.250 personal magic moments. I'm used to things changing 00:28:17.250 --> 00:28:21.990 as far as the job. And sometimes it's for the 00:28:21.990 --> 00:28:25.549 best and sometimes it's not. But my magic moments 00:28:25.549 --> 00:28:29.819 are just when I can take pride in what I'm working 00:28:29.819 --> 00:28:33.059 on and just say, wow, I'm a part of something 00:28:33.059 --> 00:28:36.660 great here. That's amazing. And speaking of the 00:28:36.660 --> 00:28:39.759 color purple, not only did you work on Broadway 00:28:39.759 --> 00:28:43.900 with the color purple, you're now on the movie 00:28:43.900 --> 00:28:50.559 that we are so excited to see. Oh, I cannot wait. 00:28:52.059 --> 00:28:55.059 Listen. OK, let me get back to being professional. 00:28:56.509 --> 00:29:00.650 How did it feel when you got that call that you 00:29:00.650 --> 00:29:04.990 would be working on this movie? I could not believe 00:29:04.990 --> 00:29:11.450 it. I left my job to do it. I was doing FBI Most 00:29:11.450 --> 00:29:14.710 Wanted. I was on, I think, second or third season. 00:29:15.349 --> 00:29:19.250 And I couldn't believe that I got this call. 00:29:19.509 --> 00:29:24.630 Like, I was so ecstatic. I was like, I have to 00:29:24.630 --> 00:29:29.670 go. I gotta go. Did you grab your purse as soon 00:29:29.670 --> 00:29:33.829 as you hung up the phone? I took some deep breaths 00:29:33.829 --> 00:29:36.950 and was like, is this really happening? Am I 00:29:36.950 --> 00:29:41.130 really going to be doing this? And those are 00:29:41.130 --> 00:29:44.630 magic moments because so often, a job is a job. 00:29:45.670 --> 00:29:47.569 But once in a while, you do something really 00:29:47.569 --> 00:29:50.859 special. You get something special. And I went 00:29:50.859 --> 00:29:56.140 to my designer and I said, listen, I, Ms. Francine, 00:29:56.140 --> 00:29:59.480 the designer actually hired someone so that I 00:29:59.480 --> 00:30:02.640 could give a proper two weeks notice. So she 00:30:02.640 --> 00:30:06.680 hired someone to be a filler until I could, so 00:30:06.680 --> 00:30:08.900 I could give a proper two weeks notice at my 00:30:08.900 --> 00:30:12.519 job. And I told my design, I said, I have to 00:30:12.519 --> 00:30:16.670 go. I just got offered the color purple. I'm 00:30:16.670 --> 00:30:18.710 sure they helped you pack up. Come on, girl. 00:30:18.849 --> 00:30:23.369 Let's go. And he was very happy for me and supportive. 00:30:24.029 --> 00:30:28.710 Everyone got it. And I made sure that I replaced 00:30:28.710 --> 00:30:32.569 myself with a good replacement. And we were kind 00:30:32.569 --> 00:30:34.910 of towards the end of the season, so the timing 00:30:34.910 --> 00:30:38.089 was good. There was basically, I think, just 00:30:38.089 --> 00:30:40.690 one more episode left to shoot. So that was a 00:30:40.690 --> 00:30:43.890 good thing. And like you said, that timing, timing 00:30:43.890 --> 00:30:47.000 was everything. It was cute. How do you keep 00:30:47.000 --> 00:30:51.599 yourself in that flow, like emotionally, spiritually, 00:30:52.200 --> 00:30:55.460 in the flow? Because everybody, there are a lot 00:30:55.460 --> 00:30:57.920 of people that want this job, but you have excelled 00:30:57.920 --> 00:31:01.660 in a way that is very magical. I mean, you received 00:31:01.660 --> 00:31:05.440 the call. You didn't go after the job. Even when 00:31:05.440 --> 00:31:07.900 you got into film, it was a conversation that 00:31:07.900 --> 00:31:09.599 moved on to the next piece, that moved on to 00:31:09.599 --> 00:31:12.180 the next piece. How do you stay in the flow of 00:31:12.180 --> 00:31:17.960 that energy? what God wants me to have, I will 00:31:17.960 --> 00:31:23.099 have. I usually don't go after jobs. I pray on 00:31:23.099 --> 00:31:26.980 what I want. I have that in my mind. And if I 00:31:26.980 --> 00:31:30.259 don't get a job, I'm not, I mean, I can't say 00:31:30.259 --> 00:31:33.539 I'm not disappointed. Some jobs I have been disappointed. 00:31:34.480 --> 00:31:38.240 And I'm not like that now because I know that 00:31:38.240 --> 00:31:40.460 you get what you're supposed to get and you don't 00:31:40.460 --> 00:31:42.839 get what you're not supposed to get. And I just, 00:31:43.079 --> 00:31:48.240 kind of have had a positive attitude about where 00:31:48.240 --> 00:31:51.440 I'm supposed to be and what's coming my way. 00:31:52.160 --> 00:31:57.420 I don't know. I've just been really blessed and 00:31:57.420 --> 00:32:04.240 fortunate and that's all I can say. Like there's 00:32:04.240 --> 00:32:08.339 no magic formula. There's just belief that this 00:32:08.339 --> 00:32:10.880 is your journey and you're on your path and you've 00:32:10.880 --> 00:32:13.589 been on your path for a long time. Some of us 00:32:13.589 --> 00:32:17.990 are just getting there. Some of us are just getting 00:32:17.990 --> 00:32:20.309 there raising my hand, but some of us have been 00:32:20.309 --> 00:32:23.009 on this path for a long time. And it's a beautiful, 00:32:23.289 --> 00:32:25.210 I mean, listening to your stories, I'm like, 00:32:25.349 --> 00:32:27.049 if I had hair on my arms, it would be standing 00:32:27.049 --> 00:32:31.690 up, but it's beautiful. And to hear the stories 00:32:31.690 --> 00:32:34.210 of your family. Oh my goodness. I feel like you 00:32:34.210 --> 00:32:39.569 all should have a PBS special about you, your 00:32:39.569 --> 00:32:43.240 mama and your daddy. and your uncle in Harlem. 00:32:44.039 --> 00:32:47.019 Now, with the Color Purple being such an iconic 00:32:47.019 --> 00:32:51.440 film, iconic book, iconic Broadway play, what 00:32:51.440 --> 00:32:55.799 was the approach to costumes to make this feel 00:32:55.799 --> 00:33:01.740 fresh and new? Miss Francine is the designer. 00:33:01.799 --> 00:33:06.619 She is an amazing designer and she knows the 00:33:06.619 --> 00:33:11.640 period. You know, so we... looked at the director 00:33:11.640 --> 00:33:14.839 wanted something that were kind of iconic from 00:33:14.839 --> 00:33:20.420 the movie, but we just, I don't, to say new, 00:33:21.160 --> 00:33:24.980 the newness I think was in the work, and the 00:33:24.980 --> 00:33:28.380 characters were developed like any other character, 00:33:29.140 --> 00:33:33.140 knowing the period, and no, we're just seeing, 00:33:33.259 --> 00:33:36.380 pay attention to who they are, where they came 00:33:36.380 --> 00:33:39.259 from, where they are, and where they're going. 00:33:39.880 --> 00:33:43.440 And through that, she developed these characters 00:33:43.440 --> 00:33:47.299 through the clothes. It's beautiful to see. It's 00:33:47.299 --> 00:33:50.119 beautiful to see. Have you seen the movie? I 00:33:50.119 --> 00:33:53.099 have not seen it yet. Except for, of course, 00:33:53.119 --> 00:33:59.059 what we have shot. And I remember also taking 00:33:59.059 --> 00:34:03.579 this job was I was nervous. I was like, this 00:34:03.579 --> 00:34:06.039 is one of my favorite movies. They can't mess 00:34:06.039 --> 00:34:09.599 this up. I don't want to be a part of... You 00:34:09.599 --> 00:34:12.780 can't mess this up. Like you cannot mess up the 00:34:12.780 --> 00:34:16.159 color part. You cannot. It has to be done in 00:34:16.159 --> 00:34:19.659 a certain way. And let me just say, I don't think 00:34:19.659 --> 00:34:24.019 they messed it up. Listen, when they said Oprah 00:34:24.019 --> 00:34:26.239 was on the case, I said, Oh, she's going to get 00:34:26.239 --> 00:34:30.099 this right. Oh yeah. She's going to get this 00:34:30.099 --> 00:34:32.519 all. I mean, I trust Steven Spielberg, but I 00:34:32.519 --> 00:34:34.500 was like, Oprah is going to make sure this is 00:34:34.500 --> 00:34:39.929 right. And you get it. You know, the story itself 00:34:39.929 --> 00:34:44.010 is timeless. And unfortunately, we're still dealing 00:34:44.010 --> 00:34:47.110 with the themes of that story. So it's important 00:34:47.110 --> 00:34:49.789 for this generation to see it. And it's important 00:34:49.789 --> 00:34:52.329 for people to see themselves. Representation 00:34:52.329 --> 00:34:56.510 is everything. And to see this cast of women 00:34:56.510 --> 00:34:59.829 doing it who are part of our contemporary conversation 00:34:59.829 --> 00:35:02.050 is just beautiful to me. I can't wait to see 00:35:02.050 --> 00:35:06.929 it. I just can't wait to see it. Yeah. It's going 00:35:06.929 --> 00:35:09.389 to be quite the movie. Like it's going to be 00:35:09.389 --> 00:35:11.849 quite the movie. I'm already like, I need to 00:35:11.849 --> 00:35:14.530 order my tissues from Amazon, have them under 00:35:14.530 --> 00:35:19.750 one off. I need to see it twice in one day because 00:35:19.750 --> 00:35:21.349 I'm not going to want to wait till the next year 00:35:21.349 --> 00:35:25.130 to see it. My Merry Christmas will be at the 00:35:25.130 --> 00:35:30.630 theater. Mine too. Oh my goodness. And you're 00:35:30.630 --> 00:35:33.070 going to need those cleanness because honey. 00:35:33.630 --> 00:35:36.150 Yeah. We'll talk about the after effect another 00:35:36.150 --> 00:35:39.909 time. But you are a movie supervisor. And from 00:35:39.909 --> 00:35:42.570 what I gathered, from what I watched, you handle 00:35:42.570 --> 00:35:46.090 the timelines, the budgets, and make sure that 00:35:46.090 --> 00:35:51.230 everything runs smoothly. How do you manage your 00:35:51.230 --> 00:35:53.949 self -care in managing all of those responsibilities? 00:35:55.710 --> 00:36:00.570 Sometimes I don't. Everybody asks me that. And 00:36:00.570 --> 00:36:04.280 I mean, self -care, I... I really have to learn 00:36:04.280 --> 00:36:08.480 how to get self care in there because I can get 00:36:08.480 --> 00:36:11.760 caught up and then not be doing well, you know 00:36:11.760 --> 00:36:14.800 what I mean? So it's a dance. I mean, but what 00:36:14.800 --> 00:36:19.219 I do is a dance. If you ever watch a scene like 00:36:19.219 --> 00:36:22.420 I'm running to the truck, I'm going to this, 00:36:22.800 --> 00:36:25.219 I'm hiring the crew, I'm getting ready for the 00:36:25.219 --> 00:36:28.239 next day, I'm dealing with the producers, with 00:36:28.239 --> 00:36:34.590 the budgeting, it's all a dance. My self care, 00:36:35.250 --> 00:36:39.210 I had to take that seriously so that I can continue 00:36:39.210 --> 00:36:43.489 to do this dance. So I just try to eat healthy, 00:36:43.809 --> 00:36:49.389 stay hydrated. I use the job as my gym. I look 00:36:49.389 --> 00:36:55.989 at it as my gym. If that makes sense. Well, I 00:36:55.989 --> 00:36:58.230 can say this, you were dedicated to your craft. 00:36:58.349 --> 00:37:02.190 I can say that 100%. Just from what I observed 00:37:02.190 --> 00:37:05.710 I was like, uh, she gonna get out of that chair 00:37:05.710 --> 00:37:15.289 like what's going on? At one point I was like, 00:37:15.289 --> 00:37:17.630 let me just shut off her computer for like five 00:37:17.630 --> 00:37:21.429 minutes I mean you had all the I don't even know 00:37:21.429 --> 00:37:23.750 it looked like another language to me, but she 00:37:23.750 --> 00:37:26.670 had it all together And then not only do you 00:37:26.670 --> 00:37:28.150 have to deal with the computer, you have to deal 00:37:28.150 --> 00:37:30.789 with each person and whatever they're going through. 00:37:31.050 --> 00:37:33.710 So managing all of that is, and then you're a 00:37:33.710 --> 00:37:37.769 mom. Being a mom helps me with the job because 00:37:37.769 --> 00:37:40.710 I look at the people that work under me as my 00:37:40.710 --> 00:37:44.349 family and we have to take care of each other. 00:37:44.369 --> 00:37:46.949 And I have to make sure that they're always okay. 00:37:47.570 --> 00:37:51.449 How I did this business and being a mom, I don't 00:37:51.449 --> 00:37:53.469 know. People ask me all the time. I just did 00:37:53.469 --> 00:37:58.280 it. I just did it. I don't know how. I just did 00:37:58.280 --> 00:38:03.860 it. And I gave my kids all that I possibly could, 00:38:04.539 --> 00:38:07.980 like before work, after work, weekends, because 00:38:07.980 --> 00:38:12.960 I felt guilty about working. So I put a lot of 00:38:12.960 --> 00:38:15.780 work into the relationship I have with my children. 00:38:18.460 --> 00:38:21.840 My daughter is, she's registered with the union 00:38:21.840 --> 00:38:25.960 and now she's starting to go to college. And 00:38:25.960 --> 00:38:29.820 my son used to work for me, but he says he can't 00:38:29.820 --> 00:38:35.960 dedicate 16 hours a day. You know, these kids 00:38:35.960 --> 00:38:42.800 ain't built like we are. They're like, no. He's 00:38:42.800 --> 00:38:47.059 into music. So his thing was, there's no time. 00:38:47.289 --> 00:38:51.849 for him to dedicate time to his craft if he's 00:38:51.849 --> 00:38:58.469 doing films 16 and 18 hours a day. So I got it 00:38:58.469 --> 00:39:01.150 and I'm glad he did because sometimes the business 00:39:01.150 --> 00:39:04.670 can suck you up and if you have other dreams 00:39:04.670 --> 00:39:07.769 and aspirations you need to do them. Now as you 00:39:07.769 --> 00:39:10.530 look back over your career from the standpoint 00:39:10.530 --> 00:39:13.389 of an observer you're not just in it because 00:39:13.389 --> 00:39:16.800 you're still in it. Looking back, what do you 00:39:16.800 --> 00:39:19.880 see? Because you're not just your career, but 00:39:19.880 --> 00:39:22.659 you're multi -generational in this. When you 00:39:22.659 --> 00:39:26.280 look back, what does that film of Icy look like? 00:39:27.219 --> 00:39:29.980 When I look back, what does that film of Icy 00:39:29.980 --> 00:39:33.440 look like? You asked a really good question. 00:39:34.000 --> 00:39:35.519 Well, can you see I'm trying to get you to write 00:39:35.519 --> 00:39:41.860 a book? I'm just setting it up. Actually thought 00:39:41.860 --> 00:39:45.860 about that. I have thought about that. Been many 00:39:45.860 --> 00:39:49.179 places and seen many things. And the funny thing 00:39:49.179 --> 00:39:55.659 is, I'm not done. So the film of Icy has some 00:39:55.659 --> 00:40:00.579 crazy moments, some love stories, great home 00:40:00.579 --> 00:40:05.340 life with her children, and a whole bunch of 00:40:05.340 --> 00:40:09.900 jobs with a whole bunch of stars and personalities. 00:40:14.840 --> 00:40:17.760 I know you have a vault of icy. I won't even 00:40:17.760 --> 00:40:26.219 ask about that. Not gonna open that door, but 00:40:26.219 --> 00:40:29.639 speaking of, you know, when we get into our late 00:40:29.639 --> 00:40:31.840 forties and our late fifties, we, like you said, 00:40:31.860 --> 00:40:36.260 you're not done. And this generation of 50 year 00:40:36.260 --> 00:40:38.940 olds does not look like the previous generation 00:40:38.940 --> 00:40:42.840 of 50 year olds. So if you were to pick a second 00:40:42.840 --> 00:40:47.000 career, What would that be? Well, you know, I 00:40:47.000 --> 00:40:52.139 really want to produce. I want to go out as a 00:40:52.139 --> 00:40:55.719 producer. But I guess it's kind of like the same 00:40:55.719 --> 00:41:02.380 career, just a different job title. Well, here's 00:41:02.380 --> 00:41:04.440 the difference. You got a Rolodex now, you can 00:41:04.440 --> 00:41:07.219 call people. Hey, I want to produce a film. But 00:41:07.219 --> 00:41:11.980 that's what I really would like to do. I could 00:41:11.980 --> 00:41:14.159 see you doing that because then you could produce 00:41:14.159 --> 00:41:16.860 some really great movies because I can imagine 00:41:16.860 --> 00:41:19.340 the stories that you have collected. I want to 00:41:19.340 --> 00:41:22.619 tell our stories, our stories of the people, 00:41:23.480 --> 00:41:26.619 women's stories. I just feel like there should 00:41:26.619 --> 00:41:30.880 be more of that. And the fullness of our stories. 00:41:31.099 --> 00:41:33.400 We're not just like people say, we're not a monolith. 00:41:33.460 --> 00:41:37.409 We have all kinds of stories. Exactly. And I 00:41:37.409 --> 00:41:40.449 want those other stories, not the boys in the 00:41:40.449 --> 00:41:42.809 hood, not enough to say anything wrong with that. 00:41:43.010 --> 00:41:47.070 But there's so many other stories, real stories 00:41:47.070 --> 00:41:50.309 of our people done great things. Well, we're 00:41:50.309 --> 00:41:52.969 going to put icy productions in the atmosphere 00:41:52.969 --> 00:41:57.949 and see what God brings us back. And yes, I'll 00:41:57.949 --> 00:41:59.750 take the job, whatever it is, I see. Whatever 00:41:59.750 --> 00:42:05.130 you call it, ask me to do, yes. You got it. So 00:42:05.130 --> 00:42:07.530 you have lots of stories, you've been all over 00:42:07.530 --> 00:42:10.989 the world. What inspires you and what brings 00:42:10.989 --> 00:42:16.070 you joy? Dancing brings me joy. And I used to 00:42:16.070 --> 00:42:20.449 be a dancer before. I used to be a major ballet 00:42:20.449 --> 00:42:24.030 dancer. And then one day I just, I was with the 00:42:24.030 --> 00:42:26.150 New York School of Ballet. And then one day I 00:42:26.150 --> 00:42:28.590 just said, I don't want to do this anymore. A 00:42:28.590 --> 00:42:32.650 good book brings me joy. And you know what always 00:42:32.650 --> 00:42:38.710 brings me joy? A very good meal. Girl. Let me 00:42:38.710 --> 00:42:40.989 tell you. Okay. So let me be unprofessional for 00:42:40.989 --> 00:42:43.230 one second. When I see and I went to dinner in 00:42:43.230 --> 00:42:47.250 Atlanta, we had the best food and I don't think 00:42:47.250 --> 00:42:50.550 we talked while the plates were on the table. 00:42:53.250 --> 00:42:58.880 We were passing food back and forth. We were 00:42:58.880 --> 00:43:00.519 both in heaven. I don't know about anybody else 00:43:00.519 --> 00:43:04.159 on tape, but we were in heaven. We sure were. 00:43:05.159 --> 00:43:07.500 There's nothing like it. Like, I don't know, 00:43:07.599 --> 00:43:10.280 at the end of a work day, it's like, I just love 00:43:10.280 --> 00:43:13.159 that. I had such a great time with you. Like, 00:43:13.360 --> 00:43:15.840 it was just, and to me, and that's another thing, 00:43:16.000 --> 00:43:18.760 just connecting with good people, breaking bread 00:43:18.760 --> 00:43:22.599 with good people is always a great thing for 00:43:22.599 --> 00:43:26.929 me. That's so Kevin. I said, I like her. I really 00:43:26.929 --> 00:43:29.690 like her. And I met a lot of people with him. 00:43:29.730 --> 00:43:32.989 I was like, I like her. Like she's my people. 00:43:33.710 --> 00:43:40.170 Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness. We did. It was 00:43:40.170 --> 00:43:43.130 magical. And you know, I try not to get like, 00:43:43.250 --> 00:43:45.090 cause you know, this is his job. So I try not 00:43:45.090 --> 00:43:47.289 to get personal with people, but when it came 00:43:47.289 --> 00:43:49.530 to you, I was like, I'm crossing that fourth 00:43:49.530 --> 00:43:58.079 wall. Let's go. That's why I could never tell 00:43:58.079 --> 00:44:02.239 you no to an interview. I'm still so excited, 00:44:02.480 --> 00:44:05.840 especially when I realize how private you are. 00:44:07.039 --> 00:44:11.300 I really do appreciate this. Surprisingly, you 00:44:11.300 --> 00:44:14.920 succeeded at being that way. I don't know how 00:44:14.920 --> 00:44:20.019 you did it. Now we're going into tech AI and 00:44:20.019 --> 00:44:23.139 virtual reality, like your reality is I was here. 00:44:23.360 --> 00:44:30.519 You will see my name on the credits, and that's 00:44:30.519 --> 00:44:38.320 all you're going to see. You are literally personified. 00:44:38.599 --> 00:44:46.199 My work speaks for itself. Well, now when they 00:44:46.199 --> 00:44:49.400 look back until you write your book, they have 00:44:49.400 --> 00:44:52.860 a bit of your story. And it will be available 00:44:52.860 --> 00:44:54.760 for other people to hear. And I hope that it 00:44:54.760 --> 00:44:58.039 is a, just a stepping stone into your next, whatever 00:44:58.039 --> 00:45:01.059 that's going to be for you. Because once this 00:45:01.059 --> 00:45:03.199 movie comes out, I can't imagine your phone is 00:45:03.199 --> 00:45:06.599 going to be like on fire. Yeah. That's what I'm 00:45:06.599 --> 00:45:10.860 hoping for. Do you design as well? Yes. Okay. 00:45:11.019 --> 00:45:14.940 I have done some designing. I did two, I designed 00:45:14.940 --> 00:45:18.440 two movies. One was called blackout. The other 00:45:18.440 --> 00:45:24.449 one was the tune. And I also designed an off 00:45:24.449 --> 00:45:28.570 -Broadway show. I, when it comes to designing, 00:45:29.210 --> 00:45:33.369 it has to be, I don't know how to say it. Like, 00:45:33.369 --> 00:45:37.570 I won't just design anything. The context is 00:45:37.570 --> 00:45:41.530 very important to me on what it is. So, yeah. 00:45:42.610 --> 00:45:54.480 You're like, yeah, I designed. Well, okay. You're 00:45:54.480 --> 00:45:57.719 a New Yorker and it is the fashion capital. Have 00:45:57.719 --> 00:45:59.659 you ever thought about doing your own fashion 00:45:59.659 --> 00:46:02.699 line or peeking over into that world? Or is film 00:46:02.699 --> 00:46:05.619 and television your thing? No, I have thought 00:46:05.619 --> 00:46:10.019 about that. And I do have an idea that I have 00:46:10.019 --> 00:46:14.039 not executed yet. So you'll see that too coming. 00:46:14.400 --> 00:46:18.170 Coming soon. I see productions and fashion house. 00:46:18.250 --> 00:46:27.369 Let's put that out there. Listen, this has been 00:46:27.369 --> 00:46:30.309 a joy and I could talk to you forever and I will 00:46:30.309 --> 00:46:33.369 be talking to you, but I have to ask one last 00:46:33.369 --> 00:46:36.570 question and I ask everybody. What is your black 00:46:36.570 --> 00:46:42.150 girl magic superpower? My black girl magic superpower. 00:46:42.869 --> 00:46:48.150 I feel like. The fact that I'm a working single 00:46:48.150 --> 00:46:53.050 mom, getting the job done, what needs to be done 00:46:53.050 --> 00:46:56.690 in life, not just work in life, getting it done, 00:46:57.030 --> 00:47:01.150 doing it, that's my black girl superpower. That's 00:47:01.150 --> 00:47:03.289 amazing. Because a lot of people don't complete 00:47:03.289 --> 00:47:07.809 things. So that is a superpower. That is a superpower. 00:47:08.309 --> 00:47:11.360 Well, I will say this. I normally say, how can 00:47:11.360 --> 00:47:13.360 people find you? But I'm going to say this about 00:47:13.360 --> 00:47:21.460 you. Look for her name in the credits. When you 00:47:21.460 --> 00:47:24.719 go to see the color purple, wait to the end. 00:47:24.940 --> 00:47:27.860 And when it gets to the costume section, she 00:47:27.860 --> 00:47:30.599 will be up front and center. And you'll be like, 00:47:30.739 --> 00:47:33.380 that's that lady that was on Black Women Amplified. 00:47:33.900 --> 00:47:38.010 Yes, that's her. Looking for her in the equalizer 00:47:38.010 --> 00:47:40.750 and some of our favorite films like The Manchurian 00:47:40.750 --> 00:47:43.449 Candidate, television shows like Nurse Jackie. 00:47:44.050 --> 00:47:49.070 Her name is everywhere, just like McDonald's. 00:47:54.230 --> 00:47:57.210 So I see again, I can't say thank you enough. 00:47:57.289 --> 00:48:00.449 I really appreciate this. And I could not have 00:48:00.449 --> 00:48:03.289 timed this better the day after the strike. I 00:48:03.289 --> 00:48:05.519 mean, I didn't time it. God timed it. Because 00:48:05.519 --> 00:48:10.300 I had no idea. But I'm grateful that your industry 00:48:10.300 --> 00:48:13.139 stood up for themselves. And I'm curious to see 00:48:13.139 --> 00:48:16.480 how it unfolds. And I pray that everything goes 00:48:16.480 --> 00:48:19.300 well for you and your people. And I can't wait 00:48:19.300 --> 00:48:21.679 to see your name across the screen when I go 00:48:21.679 --> 00:48:24.400 see the color purple. Thank you again. I appreciate 00:48:24.400 --> 00:48:28.219 it. And I appreciate you. I appreciate you. Thank 00:48:28.219 --> 00:48:30.900 you so much. Have an amazing day. Oh, you're 00:48:30.900 --> 00:48:33.980 welcome. All right. Good night. Good night. Goodbye. 00:48:36.239 --> 00:48:38.940 Thank you for listening to Black Women Amplified. 00:48:39.239 --> 00:48:42.000 We hope you enjoyed the show. Be sure to subscribe 00:48:42.000 --> 00:48:45.380 and log on to blackwomenamplified .com for more 00:48:45.380 --> 00:48:47.420 information. Keep shining.