From red carpet appearances to jet-setting vacations, Tracee Ellis Ross is the definition of the hot, rich, internet auntie. Ross can be defined as a trailblazing woman, from winning a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series to launching her hair care (now including body care) brand Pattern Beauty, Ross continues to break barriers and does so in style.Â
As the daughter of the legendary singer and actress Diana Ross, Ross grew up in the spotlight. In an interview on the Aspire Podcast with Emma Grede, Ross described how her upbringing and being the daughter of a superstar influenced her perspective on life. Ross is credited as being confident, charismatic and stylish. When interviewed by Grede, Ross said, “I’ve always been this person. I’ve always had a very big personality.”Â
My first introduction to Ross was on the sitcom Girlfriends. Tracee played Joan Clayton, a corporate lawyer with a booming career but a depressing love life. Her character was assertive, fashionable and a reliable friend to her three girlfriends. This introduction to Ross was a positive one for many!
Watching a Black woman as the lead in a sitcom, with a thriving career, good friends, and a big house, was intriguing to me. Interestingly, her real life mirrors her character so closely that it’s hard to tell them apart.
Ross explains that from an early age, she aspired to be like her mother and other women she saw on TV. Ross explained to Grede, “I watched the Bionic Woman and Charlie’s Angels.” She looks back now and realizes that she has become the woman she envisioned as a child. Through her social media presence and the roles that she plays, it is evident that Ross has life all figured out. As much as people might praise her, she has received criticism for not being married and for not having children.Â
The 52-year old actress continuously shuts down rumours that she chooses to be single; she just prefers to wait for the right person.Â
Ross told Grede, “I would love a partner, and I’ve had some wonderful dating…and some wonderful relationships….I just haven’t found the person that is my life partner yet.” It is no surprise that the entertainment industry discredits women who choose not to get married and have children. Unfortunately, Ross has received constant criticism for her life choices. As an assertive, goal-driven and ambitious woman, the pressures to follow a traditional lifestyle tend to be difficult to manage.Â
Ross prides herself on spending time with her nieces and nephews, being a girlboss and travelling the world. She said that she manifests with purpose and is very international with her words. Journaling has been a staple in her life since she was a teen. “For my whole life, I’ve had a diary, I still have the very embarrassing diaries from like 12 years old,” she said.Â
Ross uses journaling to turn her negative feelings into positive ones. If she is having a bad day, she journals; if she is feeling uneasy about something, she journals.
Ross inspires me not because of her many accomplishments but her understanding of life and how to navigate it positively, especially in a field that enjoys tearing down women. Her aura is infectious, and her way of life exciting. Ross should be an inspiration for all young women to remain fabulous and flirty at any age.Â