In this conversation, actress, performance artist, and motivational speaker Tracee Ellis Ross '94 shared stories about her years on the hit TV series "Girlfriends" and discussed race, her body, her career, and how she responds to images and expectations of women of color in entertainment.

Tracee Ellis Ross '94, actress, performance artist, and motivational speaker; professor Tricia Rose '93, director of the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America (CSREA) at Brown University

Tracee Ellis Ross, Actress, Performance Artist and Motivational Speaker is best known as the star of the hit sitcom GIRLFRIENDS that ran for eight seasons on The UPN/CW network. Her role on the series earned her eight NAACP Image Award nominations including two wins, one in 2007 and another in 2009, in the category of Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.

In 2012, the fashion influencer expanded her vast digital influence by launching her official website Traceeellisross.com. The lifestyle site utilizes Ross' unique cross-cultural and joyful point of view to inspire the soul, body and mind of her followers.

Most recently, Tracee has been delving into the crevices of her imagination unearthing bold, eccentric and deeply-flawed characters. As Tracee crafts these captivating "fictional" characters, she allows them to live in the "real" world. Two examples of this are Madame Hiver an extravagant, loveable, alcoholic life-coach to the stars and Caliope Champignon an opinionated French, Fashion Blogger who claims to have "created" Barney's NY.