00:00I always enjoy coming to this luncheon every year it's something I look forward
00:07to to be the one that's on this side of it is a bit surreal to be filled so much
00:22gratitude right now the universe has always had my back it is such an amazing
00:35feeling to be in a room that's filled with so much talent strength and above
00:43all grace you guys from the moment I stepped on that carpet so many faces oh
00:52my god I've worked with damn near half the room but I look when they showed some
01:00of 227 like what would I you know do you guys remember when you were kids most of
01:09you you got that assignment to write a letter to yourself from your older self
01:14I never got that assignment so I look at that and I wonder what what would I have
01:24told myself obviously I didn't plan a speech but I was jotting down a couple
01:30things and I wrote them on some sides because they're my security blanket and
01:42their sides from scandal and Shonda and Mara what you guys have done for us as
01:59actresses as women telling our stories more layered and giving me the
02:08opportunity to help tell your story is beyond I really don't have the words to
02:17express really what I feel all I can do is hug you really really really really
02:22tight every time I see you guys and I think every actress every fan out there mirrors when
02:32I say you guys are excellent you women are simply excellent I want to just say to essence ever since I can
02:47remember I don't remember not knowing essence and not having essence in my life
02:52as a young black girl I remember before I can even read that magazine just
02:58identifying with it and being able to pick it up and see women that look like me
03:04and and look like the women around me but they were in a magazine I had enough
03:09sense to know that this is special and then once I was able to read to be able to
03:14read about it is possible to be anything a doctor a lawyer an engineer I decided to
03:23be an actress so that I can be all of those so I truly thank you on behalf of
03:31probably all of the women in this room for reminding us to always remember the
03:42essence of who we are because we all are sharing the space together but we are all
03:48individual and please don't ever change being individual I never would have decided to
03:57direct if I didn't look at myself as an individual so wrapping it up to bring it
04:03to the beginning what would I have told that little girl that was up there what
04:09would I have written in that letter I wouldn't have written the letter because I feel like I'm
04:17just getting started
