There were so many amazingly strong and beautiful black women at Essence’s “Black Women in Hollywood” luncheon, but it was Gabrielle Union who taught them all what it really means to be both “Fierce and Fearless.”
Union was presented with the “Fierce and Fearless” Award at the annual luncheon and took the opportunity to share her own insecurities with the rest of the women in the room in hopes to encourage even more people to live fearlessly in a world of truth.
“We live in a town that rewards pretending,” Gabrielle started in her speech. “I had been pretending to be fierce and fearless for a long time. I was a victim masquerading as a survivor. I stayed when I should have run. I was quiet when I should have spoken up. I turned a blind eye to injustice instead of having the courage to stand up for what’s right.”
The courageous actress is also admired as one of the most beautiful women in the world today, and she admitted that one point even she had to battle with the ugly green eyed monster known as jealousy.
“I used to shrink in the presence of other dope beautiful women,” the gorgeous 40-year-old actress said. “I used to revel in gossip and rumors, and I lived for the negativity inflicted upon my sister actresses or anyone who I felt whose shine diminished my own.”
She went on to explain that the most courageous thing any woman could do was to accept the truth rather than remain blissfully unaware or build a world of lies.
“It’s easy to pretend to be fierce and fearless because living your truth takes real courage,” she said during her emotional speech. “Real fearless and fierce women admit mistakes and they work to correct them. We stand up and we use our voices for things other than self promotion. We don’t stand by and let racism and sexism and homophobia run rapid on our watch. Real fearless and fierce women complement other women and we recognize and embrace that their shine in no way diminishes our light and that it actually makes our light shine brighter.”
She ended her speech by recognizing every woman in the room as a sister and thanked them for never turning their backs on her or “tap dancing on [her] misery.”
By the time her speech finished, many of the women in the room were busy wiping away tears as they cheered her own for being the perfect living example of a woman who is both fierce and fearless.
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