Nia Talita Long is one of them precious women of the culture, 50, but regal; a goddess amoungst gods, and unapologetic about it. She has had the community enamored with her presence since emerging on our screens in Boyz N the Hood and Fresh Prince of Bel Air thirty years ago. 30!
Today, she opts for a more lowkey lifestyle, sitting in the driver's seat of her career, and accepting all of the cultural praise that makes her a legend within her own right. She even recently addressed the difference of the industry when she was at the height of her career, and now, praising those who have stood on her shoulders to breakout in Hollywood.
"I was lucky enough to start acting and really having unique opportunities in a time — it was the '90s — where Black everything beautiful, proud, loud, and in your face was undeniable. When I started in the business, most of the films that I worked on were Black films. The crew was Black, the director was Black, the writer was Black. Because that was my first experience, I thought that was the norm — that the next set that I went to was going to be Black, Black, Black, but I realized it wasn't."
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She continues:
"Oftentimes there was a Black director, Black actors, and the entire crew would be white, which I don't really care — if you're good at your job, you should have the job. But what bothers me is the opportunities weren't always offered to Black people. You'd walk into the hair and makeup trailer, and there was no one there to service you, to understand your hair and makeup needs. And then you were labeled difficult if you said, 'No, I'm not getting in front of the camera looking like this because I could do it better myself."
And for years, she was unfairly labeled as difficult for just this, an experience Black women know all too well. She told TV One:
"When I started working, I was in constant competition with...mostly it was me and Jada [Pinkett-Smith]. It was like, 'oh, do you want the brown skin spicy girl, or do you want that light skin spicy girl?' And if you look at the history of film during that time, you will see how we were...divided."
Which is absolutely true, and even stands true today, although not as tolerated. And ironically, Nia beat out Jada to play the love interest of Will Smith for her character, Lisa on the Fresh Prince of Bel Air.
"It's a blessing and a curse because here's what I do know: Nia Long knows her light. Nia Long knows her makeup. Nia Long knows her hair. And you probably can't talk me into something else unless you show me. If you want to call that difficult then...sorry."
Girlllllll, you better be unapologetic with these FACTS, sis! The Love Jones star has now taken the time to praise those who are able to push diversity forward, in a way that she says her or Jada simply couldn't do at the time.
"[The new generation is] demanding diversity in a way that my generation really couldn't. We would ask, but it wasn't always granted. Now there is an awareness and there's an 'I'm not taking no for an answer' attitude, which is really amazing. I'm really proud of the next group of leaders in this industry that are putting their foot down and saying, 'No, we deserve to have the same experience as the next white actress.'"
Oh, Nia. Please remain the pillar that you are. We need you, queen!
Watch the clip discussing her addressing her being labeled as 'difficult' below:
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Featured image by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images
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Those myths that you keep telling yourself, and believe to be true may be what's holding you back, boo. Most of the time you're thinking these things on a subconscious level and may not even realize the damage that's being done. But once you gain clarity and call out your limiting beliefs for what they are, you'll finally be able to break free and reach new levels financially.
Let's dig into a few myths that have a direct impact on your money and are keeping you BROKE.
1. “Money is the root of all evil.”
Nah, this right here is a straight-up LIE! The truth is this: the LOVE OF MONEY is the root of all evil. When you think that money is the root of all evil, you're limiting yourself from keeping money, as well as receiving more of it. Without even knowing it, you might be scared of going after opportunities that will get you to the money.
Think about it. How can money be evil? Money is simply a resource that we control. Instead of believing and saying that money is the root of all evil, replace it with this supporting belief instead:
"Money is a resource and a means to do good and live well."
2. "I'm broke."
Broke is a mindset, boo. Your financial situation is shaped by how you think about money, which influences how you manage your money. Guess what? If you keep crying that you're broke, you're going to remain that way. All you are doing is reinforcing that limiting belief into the universe and your actions aren't gonna line up with what you need to do in order to get ahead.
It's imperative that you get a grip on this way of thinking and behaving, or else you'll never be able to break the cycle. I challenge you to think more in terms of abundance and believing that you can be wealthy. Are you up for the challenge?
3. "I can afford it."
You say that you can afford that pair of shoes and then turn around and realize that you don't even have enough money for gas the morning after. You can't just look at your checking account balance in the moment and think that everything is all good. Trust me, I've been there. This is where having a clear-cut, written budget comes in handy.
A budget is really just a spending/savings plan. It's a strategic system that lets you know how much money is coming in and going out every month. In reality, a budget can:
- Help you understand your financial situation and whether you can really afford something or not.
- Help you save for the things you want and do more of what you enjoy.
- Help you avoid getting caught short by bills you can't pay.
- Help you escape the paycheck-to-paycheck life.
4. "I deserve to treat myself."
GiphyHow many "treats" do you need, sis? If you really sit down and keep it 100 with yourself, do you really deserve those so-called treats? Are you taking care of your responsibilities like you should be? Instead of buying things that you don't need (with money you don't have) and labeling them as a "treat," you should be treating yourself by investing in your future and saving some coins.
If you spend all of the money that you earn instead of saving and investing it, you will never create the financial abundance that you do desire to have.
Here's a tip: Try putting both your short-term and long-term savings on auto-pilot so you don't even notice the money that you could be missing. When you don't have to look at it, you aren't tempted by any "excess" that you might have.
5. "I need to make more money and then I'll be better with my finances."
If you can't manage the little that you have now, what makes you think that you're gonna be able to manage more money? The more money you make, the more you're gonna spend if you don't get those habits in check early on. You're going to go right back to complaining about your finances and crying that you're still broke and in need of even more money. You'll never be satisfied. There will never be enough money. Remember, there are former millionaires who are struggling out here in these streets because they wanted to live a "fake fancy" lifestyle and ball out of control.
Start by being content with the income that you currently have and handling it with better care. Learn the ins and outs of sound financial management now, so that when you're finally blessed with more, you'll be able to manage it with ease.
I challenge you to start thinking better, which will ultimately lead to you doing better. It's time to prioritize your finances in a way that you haven't done before if you want to level up this year. It's time to activate your discipline. It's time to finally do something different.
Make the commitment to yourself and decide that absolutely nothing's gonna stand in your way of breaking that broke mentality.
What’s better than being in love? Building an empire while doing it. Watch Making Cents to see how real couples turn their money dreams into money moves.
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Originally published on January 5, 2018