Gabrielle Union Teaches Us Life Lessons for 2020 Amidst AGT Fallout. Here's Why Union Is This Month's SS Crush
This month's SS crush is none other than the beautiful Gabrielle Union. At the end of last year, Gabrielle Union made headlines for her quick and sudden departure from hit TV show America's Got Talent (AGT). But her resilience and conviction before, during and after this upheaval have been exemplary. And in the thick of it, her advice to her fans has been simple, sassy and so quintessentially Union: "be comfortable and confident with your whole ass self." Words we can definitely live by in 2020 and beyond.
Union with daughter, Kaavia, at the AGT Season Finale in September, 2019 | Photo Cred: @GabUnion
"2019 BROUGHT SO MANY LESSONS, SO MANY BLESSINGS. THERE WERE BLESSINGS THAT WERE DISGUISED AS FAILURES...AND I AM MOST GRATEFUL FOR THOSE."
Gabrielle Union has been on the scene since the 90s, appearing in cult classics like Saved By the Bell. But Union really got her breakthrough moment in 2000 when she starred in Bring It On alongside Kirsten Dunst. This role was the springboard for several other feature roles and ultimately her own hit TV show -- Being Mary Jane.
In 2017, Union also added author to her list of credits, penning an award-winning memoir entitled We're Going to Need More Wine. In the memoir, which Union describes as "the good, the bad, and the WTF," she candidly reflects on a range of topics from womanhood and sexuality, to race and beauty. Union has also been known for her activism around women's health and violence against women. As a victim of assault in her teens, this is an area that is of personal importance to her.
"I'M NOT THE KIND OF GIRL THAT GIVES UP JUUUUUUST LIKE THAAAAAT."
Gabrielle Union at the Susan G. Komen National Race for the Cure, 2008 | Phot Cred: Susan G. Komen
"ANYTHING THAT COMES MY WAY THAT MOVES ME AWAY FROM BEING MY MOST AUTHENTIC SELF, IS NOT FOR ME."
These days, Union has been telling Hollywood to "bring it on," as she stands her ground for the decisions she made to ventilate important and controversial issues while working with AGT. "I will not be deterred or silenced," says Garbielle in a December 15th post on Instagram last year. And several of her Hollywood peers, from Ellen Pompeo and Yara Shahidi, to Ariana Grande, have been cheering her on. On the home front, Union also recently adopted her daughter, Kaavia James, and has been so open and honest about all the challenges and emotions involved. Her story has helped several women going through similar challenges.
This is how Union has always been: authentic, unapologetic, resilient and unafraid to use her voice to speak up for what matters. For these reasons and many more, Gabrielle Union is the object of our affection this month.
"KEEP YOUR FOOT ON THE GAS DOLLS. KEEP YOUR FOOT ON THE GAS."
Feature Image: here