Tracee Ellis Ross, the acclaimed actress known for her role in the hit series “Black-ish,” recently opened up about her perspective on aging, motherhood, and societal expectations during an interview at the New York Times Well Festival. At 52 years old, the popular Ross has spent most of her life under the spotlight. As the daughter of music legend Diana Ross, Ms. Despite not having children of her own, she emphasizes the importance of maternal roles she has embraced in various aspects of her life.
Throughout her career, Ross has portrayed motherly figures on screen, yet she acknowledges that her influence extends beyond traditional definitions of motherhood. “I do believe that I mother all over the place,” she stated, highlighting her commitment to nurturing relationships within her family and social circles.
Throughout the interview, Ross discussed her experience with societal pressures around family and motherhood and how they influenced her identity. She revealed that grappling with these pressures “limited my understanding of what was possible.” This inspiration led her to dismiss traditional ideas of value, attached to bearing children or having a husband.
“I do not believe that my life is unworthy because I don’t have children. I do not believe that my life is unworthy because I do not have a man or partner.” – Tracee Ellis Ross
Ross has made a place for herself in the beauty world. As the founder and co-CEO of Pattern—a thriving haircare empire—she’s built a multi-million dollar brand. She was attuned to the alarming echo of hate that was rising all around her, in her neighborhood and across American society. Many others are deferring childbearing to later in life, or forgoing children altogether. That cultural transition is in step with what she sees happening nationwide as the narrative around family structures changes.
Ross acknowledged that debates around the idea of the nuclear family have recently been given a second wind. She referred to this as “a narrative that the volume has turned back up on again culturally.”
Her wisdom strikes a chord with all of us who’ve felt constrained by convention as we’ve made mindfully contradictory choices in pursuit of our own non-linear lives. Ross’s candid reflections serve as a reminder that self-worth should not be defined by societal norms but rather by individual experiences and contributions to those around them.